The Utica, N.Y., brewery is set to expand production of hard seltzer, wine and spirits in can, soft drinks, etc. Fred Matt says by year-end these types of products may comprise about half its output.
The company also said it is investing another $11 million to expand and improve its packaging lines.
“We will be the world’s most flexible brewery, or one of the most flexible,” he said. “We were the first to do hard seltzer (with Spiked Seltzer) so we have the knowledge and the experience and now the facilities and the capability.”
Matt Brewing also recently sold a 20% share of the family-owned company to Brooklyn Brewery of New York City, whose beers it has been making under contract for 35 years. Among other things, that allowed the brewery to undertake the expansion without adding debt, Matt said,