Both companies were founded in 2015 and have spent a decade supporting breweries with high-quality yeast and expert advice. Escarpment Laboratories is known for its cutting-edge yeast strain development, fermentation education and export capabilities. Le Labo has earned its reputation for consulting expertise, non-alcoholic yeast solutions and serving Quebec and Francophone markets.

“Working together, we can strengthen the Canadian yeast supply chain,” said Richard Preiss, co-founder of Escarpment Laboratories. “Breweries across Canada now have the best local option to overcome trade risks, currency fluctuations and supply delays, while supporting Canadian innovation.”

Maxime Clement, co-founder of Le Labo, said, “Together, we’re empowering breweries of all sizes across Canada with unmatched selection, reliability and expertise. This partnership ensures a thriving Canadian brewing community.”

Key Benefits

The combined company will bring a wealth of expertise and resources to Canadian brewers, including:

• Canadian Unity: Support local by sourcing high-quality, Canadian-made yeast. Strengthen the Canadian brewing ecosystem and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
• Canadian Reliability: Eliminate risks of cost and supply fluctuations from exchange rates, tariffs and trade disruptions with a resilient, Canadian-grown yeast supply.
• Selection and Innovation: Access to a broader range of yeast strains, non-alcoholic options and cutting-edge fermentation solutions. The merger enables more investment in research and development to meet evolving industry needs.

The leadership team of the combined business includes Maxime Clement and Jean-Pierre Tirman of Le Labo, as well as Richard Preiss, Nate Ferguson and Angus Ross of Escarpment Laboratories. Escarpment Laboratories will exchange shares with Le Labo, which will become a subsidiary of Escarpment, with Maxime Clement serving as Quebec Manager. Facilities will remain operational in Guelph, Ont., and La Pocatière, Que., ensuring seamless procurement and service for breweries nationwide.

Operational changes will be phased in over the next four to six months to ensure a smooth transition. Together, the combined business will serve over 500 breweries across Canada and expand its reach to high-profile clients in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The announced merger is subject to customary consents and closing conditions.

For more information, contact Escarpment Labs or Le Labo Solutions Brassicoles.

In 2010, the duo set out to learn as much as they could about the distilling business – from marketing, to distilling itself, to the business side and everything in between. Vicky is at the helm of the distilling side, with her background in science accompanied by an abrupt takeover of their home kitchen with mason jars full of botanical experiments. JD, on the other hand, looked to the marketing and business side of the distillery, diving into the deep end to learn how to create a craft distillery from the ground up.

It took four years of research, learning and deciphering, and in 2013 they took the plunge and formed the business, purchasing their distilling equipment. The doors at Dixon’s Distilled Spirits finally opened in 2015.

When they started the company in 2013, there was a size requirement placed on equipment capacity in Ontario for distilleries. JD says this size requirement was keeping craft distilleries out of the market because the volume capacity was too large for most distilleries starting out. The Dixons made the decision to jump into the market and purchased their hybrid still, column and pot set up while the now removed capacity requirement was in place. This made Dixon’s a smaller distiller with a very large capacity and the ability to produce many different types of spirits.

Their hybrid still holds 18 plates, which guarantees that all their products are distilled 18 times, rather than the industry standard of three to five. Now, with a larger on-site team, including two distillers, JD and Vicky’s hard work has paid off.

Looking at the offerings of Dixon’s Distilled Spirits, one is met with a colourful array of unique craft spirits – gin, vodka, whisky, liqueurs – and, more recently, coolers. Bright labels match the uniquely coloured products nestled inside; a kaleidoscopic experience on the shelf sure to draw in new and old customers alike. With the promise of creating something for everyone, Dixon’s also offers a BBQ sauce and a mustard. Another unique offering is their whisky aged maple syrup. “In my business plan, I never mentioned the word gin once. It was vodka and whisky,” JD said. “We quickly learned that making whisky is a very costly adventure, and we learned you need to make money while the whisky was aging.”

He wasn’t kidding about the aging. For their whisky, the average bottle time is about four years. Currently, Dixon’s is holding back a 12-year aged whisky which is getting close to its release date. One of their goals is to have a 12-year whisky in the market. Their whisky is a simple corn and rye mixture, single malt and it is run through a carbon filter to remove any impurities before barrelling. They use some “different barrel treatments” JD says with a wink, which adds their magic to the barrels, giving it just a hint of sweetness.

On the other hand, their vodka and gin come with much quicker process times. The gin takes a bit more time than the two weeks it takes for the vodka. To make the gin, they redistill the alcohol through the gin column and it ends up taking around two-and-a-half weeks from start to finish.

Even with the deviation from the original business plan to add gin to their offerings, it’s a sure bet that customers are thankful gin found its way onto Dixon’s shelves. The gins have been some of their most popular products since launching, regularly winning awards, including double gold and consumers’ choice for both their Wicked Raspberry Gin and Wicked Citrus Gin at this year’s international SIP Awards. Not standalones on the podium by any means, the Wicked Blueberry Gin, Silvercreek Vodka, Silvercreek Blood Orange Vodka and the Flaming Caeser Vodka all received awards.

Awards are something that Dixon’s Distilled Spirits never sought out when creating spirits – JD says the focus was always to create products consumers liked. However, the awards kept coming in. Back in 2022, JD and Vicky were at home watching a hockey game when their phones started to buzz. “Congratulations!” text messages started to roll in and they were puzzled. “For what?” JD messaged back.

Someone clarified and told him, “You just won the best of Ontario Spirits award!” Immediately, Vicky and JD started looking into the award. It turned out to be during the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)’s Elsie Awards and the grand gala was that evening. Vicky quickly found that they had needed to meet specific criteria and were nominated, all while they had no idea the gala was even happening. “It was a huge honour,” JD said, recalling the evening.

Alongside the awards, recognition from consumers means the world to the team at Dixon’s. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dixon’s began producing sanitizer to help meet the local demand for hospitals and wherever else there was a need. They received letters from local politicians and even from hospitals thanking them for their involvement and production. “We’ve kept them all,” JD said. “It was an honour to be recognized by a lot of these groups.”

What’s next for Dixon’s? They want to focus on marketing their popular products and expanding into other markets. Dixon’s is keen to start sharing their products with more of Canada, hoping to get into British Columbia, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. To continue the expansion, they’re also talking about stepping into the United States markets in Maryland, Delaware, California, and Washington, D.C.

While Dixon’s is managing their current product line and keeping an eye on the future, they are also consciously aware of environmentally sustainable initiatives that have a very real impact on their everyday production. Currently, they are looking into suppliers for biodegradable wrap to reduce their reliance on shrink wrap. They have also switched from bleached white cases for holding and transporting their products to the plain brown, which allows easier recycling of the carboard. Finally, Dixon’s changed their glass bottle type to one that has a thinner base to cut back on their glass usage.

Beyond their innovations and environmental initiatives, Dixon’s Distilled Spirits also has a unique relationship with the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA). “I have a daughter who plays hockey and one of our managers, his daughter Lauren Gabel plays for Boston. She was also on the Canadian team before,” said JD. “So, we reached out to the [PWHPA] and said we wanted to help support them.” This resulted in some unique teamwork including live events with a few of the professional players on how to make cocktails using Dixon’s spirits.

All in all, it’s safe to say Dixon’s Distilled Spirits is not only constantly innovating, but always ready to share their tried-and-true customer favourites with new clientele, whether they be hockey players, hockey followers or have no idea what hockey is.

Currently, some of their products are available in Ontario in the LCBO, in store and online. Although not all of their products are available in every market, Dixon’s Distilled Spirits can be found in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, with Nova Scotia availability coming soon. With a love of coming up with new and exciting flavours, it is a sure bet that Dixon’s Distilled Spirits will be a distillery to watch as they focus on making their way into markets across Canada. Keep an eye on their website for exclusive innovations and small-batch offerings, too.

In fact, she believes the can is a canvas to showcase a brand, facilitate a consumer connection and generate brand loyalty. “Craft beverages in general have so much personality, from people to beer (or other drinks) to branding,” said Lee-Travis. “This area offers some of the best branding and can design in the beverage space. The design on a can is sometimes the first interaction with a consumer and brand personality is key.”

From its operations centre in Guelph, Ont., BSG Canada supplies North American brewers and beverage makers with high quality brewing ingredients. When the opportunity arose to lead its packaging division, Lee-Travis jumped at it. “I had 20 years of experience in packaging and sales, and joined CanCraft as employee number one in 2016,” she said. “I was really excited. The craft beverage community is really connected and communal, and that meshes with my personal values of service and creativity.”

Every day, Lee-Travis is supercharged by the entrepreneurial spirit of her customers. From start-ups to established brands, she noticed there was a gap in the way craft brewers and beverage makers were being serviced by the can industry, and she wanted to offer them a better experience. That involved bringing her service-oriented nature and personal touch to what had been a largely impersonal sector of craft brewing. “Yes, we sell cans and lids,” said Lee-Travis, “but it’s more about the great canvas we bring people to take their designs to the shelves.”

Her approach was clearly on target. Since she assumed her role at CanCraft, its customer base has grown from 30 beverage makers to over 500. To serve those clients, her team has increased to 50 people, including graphic designers and operations specialists.

Yes, we sell cans and lids, but it’s more about the great canvas we bring people to take their designs to the shelves.

Johanna Lee-Travis, CanCraft

“There is a wide scope of expertise [at CanCraft],” she said. “We have a commercial sales team that expanded into Western Canada and into the United States. In Guelph, we label cans and do contract decorating. We do distribution for printed cans and offer design services to our customers. We’ll also assess a customer’s design and do a print assessment to help them decide on the best label type. It’s such a pleasure to show up every day and work shoulder to shoulder with some really brilliant people.”

Yes, we can

When it comes to selecting the perfect can for their creative concoctions, beverage makers have three options. Traditional press-printed cans are the most economical choice, but they are only available for large batches of 200,000-plus cans at a time. For smaller orders, there is a choice between a shrink-sleeve and a pressure-sensitive label. Either of the latter options can be ordered for as few as 3,000 cans. No matter which can is selected, they all have unique characteristics to consider.

“Press-printed cans only come with six colours and traditional label styling,” said Lee-Travis. “You can do anything with shrink-sleeve and pressure-sensitive labels – textured finishes, any colour, metallic inks.”

She is also very excited about the industry’s newest innovation, direct-to-can digital printing, which she says ticks all the boxes. “You can print any quantity, print directly to the can with excellent image quality and have an expedited lead time of two to three weeks. We’ve invested in state-of-the-art digital technology and expect to be selling our first commercial cans early in 2024,” she said.

Lee-Travis says CanCraft has a full pipeline of brewers and beverage makers ready to order digitally-printed cans. “It solves a lot of pain points for them. Digital is emerging and it will lead the charge as far as a serviceable option for craft beverages of all types, including functional beverages, ready-to-drink mixtures, coffees, teas and waters,” she said.

As she sees it, CanCraft’s value is in softening some of the interactions between beverage makers and can manufacturers, cushioning the impact of supply chain challenges in a dynamic marketplace. “We love the quintessential craft entrepreneur, wearing so many hats at one time,” she said. “We are here to help.”

“Some of those recipes from that first year are still in our lineup,” said Brad McInerney, marketing director at Wellington Brewery. “This is a pretty rare feat as trends and styles always evolve over time, but a lot of those original recipes have stuck around because just like they hit the spot back then, they still hit the spot today.”

The Canadian craft beer industry looks a lot different today than it did when Wellington Brewery first opened its doors in Guelph almost 40 years ago. Wellington was one of only a handful of breweries in 1985, and there are now more than 400 craft breweries in operation in Ontario, and the competition is fierce. This has caused some of the pioneering companies to push boundaries and become ever more innovative to stay relevant.

Wellington Brewery’s philosophy is about walking two paths: staying true to its roots as a brewery of traditional styles, and being willing to walk outside the lines in a new experimental and contemporary style. “It may seem like a contradiction to try to do both, but it’s become our strength,” said McInerney. “We bring in new customers who may want to try out what we’re doing – like our Lemon Lime Hard Seltzer – and that could be the entry point for everything Wellington Brewery has to offer. Then, once they’re here, they might realize they love our Country Brown Ale as an everyday beer. It may not have that ‘wow’ factor that first brought them to us, but it’s one of those beers that always welcomes you back.”

Wellington Brewery’s facility was custom built and only had a few employees upon opening. Steady growth has seen the workforce expand to approximately 50 people, including part-time staff, and much has changed for the company.

In 2015, the brewery added approximately 20,000 square feet of facility space, updated its aging brewing system and packaging line, and expanded the brewery’s front of house areas. Wellington Brewery now sports a 40 hectolitre Newlands Systems brewhouse to replace its original Hickey Design 10 hectolitre brewhouse that was brought over from the U.K. in 1985. The brewery also has a state-of-the-art Krones bottling and canning line that essentially doubled its previous production capacity, which can produce up to 30,000 hectolitres of product per year.

We want to take every opportunity to make sure we’re not missing out on new customers who may be out there by keeping up with evolving trends. That’s how we ensure we have an offering that’s right for everybody.

Brad McInerney, Wellington Brewery

“It was almost like we rebuilt our whole brewery top to bottom, and you probably wouldn’t even recognize it as the same brewery that opened in 1985,” said McInerney. “But what hasn’t changed is that we are still committed to producing the same great beers that have been enjoyed by our customers since the beginning.”

An eclectic lineup

Wellington Brewery products are primarily sold across Ontario. While the COVID-19 pandemic created challenges, it also opened opportunities for the brewery to introduce its offerings to new customers ordering online. “Reaching new people is always exciting,” said McInerney. “Maybe they don’t know us from another brewery that just opened down the street, but there’s always an opportunity there to grow craft beer as a whole, and there is always somebody out there to introduce our more flavourful and unique beers to.”

Wellington Brewery’s most popular products include its Special Pale Ale, an English pale ale that is unique in the Ontario market because it’s a little more malt-forward than most pale ales; its Helles Lager, one of the brewery’s top sellers; and its Upside IPA, a juicy IPA that is consistently a best-seller in retail stores across Ontario.

Outside of its core brands, the brewery also brews its popular Country Brown Ale, a traditional English-style brown ale; a unique Imperial Stout; and the original 1985 beer that put Wellington Brewery on the map, Arkell Best Bitter. “We are a one-stop shop for when people are looking for a variety of tasty beverages they want to enjoy,” said McInerney. “We want to take every opportunity to make sure we’re not missing out on new customers who may be out there by keeping up with evolving trends. That’s how we ensure we have an offering that’s right for everybody.”

Wellington Brewery has also recently moved into producing sparkling hop water, which has become a significant part of its business over the last few years. Customers can now find Wellington Brewery’s Cascade and Chinook Sparkling Hop Water at Ontario grocery stores, which have non-alcoholic options that cater to consumers who are switching to lighter and healthier options.

“Having this non-alcoholic option in our lineup has been huge for us,” said McInerney. “We launched our sparkling hop water in 2021, and they’ve been selling like crazy for us. Now everybody can have a beer at an event, but some can choose to drink our sparkling hop waters and enjoy the flavour without the alcohol or calories.” The inspiration for new brews comes from the small-batch planning meetings held between the brewing team and marketing team. This enables the brewery to engage the entire creative process and opens the door to experimentation, perhaps incorporating a new hop, new malt or a fruit adjunct.

While the recipe is important in terms of how Wellington Brewery creates its beers, the label on the outside is just as crucial regarding marketing and is a vital part of the creative process. The brewery relies on an in-house graphic designer to ensure the product looks as good as it tastes. “We believe that our team-oriented approach is the best way to create a new beer,” said McInerney. “Working collaboratively like this makes the beer-making process more organic and it’s vital to how we are succeeding as a brewery.”

When brewing excellence, the world takes notice. Over the years, Wellington Brewery has received numerous awards for its offerings like the Imperial Russian Stout, Arkell Best Bitter and Chocolate Milk Stout. In 2022, the company won 13 medals at various brewing competitions, such as the Canadian Brewing Awards, the Ontario Brewing Awards and the U.S. Open Beer Championship. “The quality of your beer is right at the centre of your brewery,” said McInerney. “It’s nice to receive the awards, but we’re really just focused on ensuring that when we do make beer, it’s the highest quality and the most consistent. We consider ourselves lucky when somebody else recognizes our efforts.”

Doing good, one beer at a time

A quality product is only part of the puzzle. Much of Wellington Brewery’s success is also attributed to its commitment to community engagement. The brewery has a very supportive customer base within the Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo and Greater Toronto Area regions, and the business focuses on embedding itself into the fabric of the local community by supporting charities and local community organizations that work to make the world a better place.

Wellington Brewery is proud to present the 10th annual Queen of Craft. In addition to brewing up its Queen of Craft IPA, the brewery hosts a cadre of beer-loving women to create unique beer education programs, support local charities and build community initiatives. One hundred per cent of the profits generated by the women- and non-binary-led beer education series are donated to organizations that support the wellness of women and, over the last 10 years, the event has raised more than $65,000 for the Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis Centre.

“We haven’t always had a huge marketing budget to grow our brands, but we’ve had a lot of people who have got behind what we’re doing because they identify with the values that we cherish and what our products stand for,” said McInerney. “For us, good business means giving back to the community that has given us so much.”

As a responsible Canadian brewer, Wellington Brewery is committed to sustainable craft brewing practices. As part of this, the brewery is constantly seeking ways to improve water use, reduce energy consumption and use raw ingredients in ways that promote greater circularity. Almost all the brewery’s spent grain (98 per cent) is diverted from the landfill, and instead, is sent to local farmers to use for animal feed. Other spent grains are creatively used by partners for upcycled bread, insect food and other products.

In January 2022, Wellington Brewery launched the Welly Climate Future Fund, a capital fund that will be used to invest in projects at the brewery that will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. “Mitigating the impacts of climate change is not just about how much water are we saving or how we’re using recyclable material, we also need to look ahead to see what we can do over the next decade,” said McInerney. “We need to think in the long-term about our sustainability and environmental projects, and set out a roadmap as to where we’d love to go as a brewery.”

Wellington Brewery is proud of its long history with Beer Canada, valuing the association as a critical resource for timely data, for its ability to advocate on issues most important to the Canadian brewing industry and a platform for peer-to-peer networking. “Working with other breweries across Canada is a really important part of what we do,” said McInerney. “Craft brewers are a close-knit group that contributes to the overall strength of the Canadian beer industry, and Beer Canada is one of the areas where we’ve been able to work closely alongside other breweries.”