From left: Head brewer Mike Killelea and Center of the Universe co-founders Phil Ray and Chris Ray are pushing their beer east. Photos courtesy of COTU.
Another Richmond brewery is spilling into a new market.
Center of the Universe Brewing Co. in Ashland has struck a deal to have its beers distributed in parts of the Hampton Roads market, the company announced Thursday.
COTU has signed on with Hoffman Beverage Co. for distribution in Virginia Beach and Norfolk beginning in February. The deal was finalized earlier this month.
“It’s been part of our plan from the get-go,” said Phil Ray, co-owner of COTU. “We just wanted to make sure we thoroughly established a home base in Richmond first.”
Ray and his brother Chris launched the brewery in 2012 on Air Park Road in Ashland. Locally based Brown Distributing handles COTU’s distribution in the Richmond area.
The company produced 3,500 barrels of beer in 2014 and projects 5,000 barrels for 2015, Ray said. The expanded distribution won’t require any new investment in brewing equipment, he said, because COTU has improved its production efficiency to handle the increase.
Hoffman Beverage, which is headquartered in Virginia Beach, also works with Richmond’s Legend Brewing in Hampton Roads.
“They treat craft beer seriously and not as an afterthought,” Ray said. “It’s important to find a distributor who uses craft beer and really tries to drive craft beer sales.”
Center of the Universe has five year-round beers and several seasonal brews.
Hoffman will start out by offering COTU’s Ray Ray’s pale ale, Main Street Virginia ale, Pocahoptas IPA and Scotchtown Scotch ale to stores and bars.
Ray said that initially there will be some sporadic placement in grocery stores, and he hopes that COTU will be available in major grocery stores in the fall.
“We really know our place in Richmond,” Ray said. “It is a little daunting to take that to a new market where we’re not as nearly as recognized.”
But Ray said COTU’s key demographic is well-represented in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
“We look for folks who are usually out of school or well into their careers,” he said. “They expect more for their money, but they’re willing to pay a little more for quality. The Norfolk and Virginia Beach areas have developed an excellent beer culture just like Richmond has.”
The push toward the coast puts COTU among a select few of Richmond’s rising wave of local breweries to expand beyond the area. In addition to Legend, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery and Hardywood Park Craft Brewery have expanded their distribution to Hampton Roads. Hardywood is also now in the western part of the state and in Northern Virginia.
Ray said heading north may be COTU’s next move.
“Chris has a soft spot in his heart for Baltimore,” he said. “In two years, we’d probably push to NoVa and then D.C.”
From left: Head brewer Mike Killelea and Center of the Universe co-founders Phil Ray and Chris Ray are pushing their beer east. Photos courtesy of COTU.
Another Richmond brewery is spilling into a new market.
Center of the Universe Brewing Co. in Ashland has struck a deal to have its beers distributed in parts of the Hampton Roads market, the company announced Thursday.
COTU has signed on with Hoffman Beverage Co. for distribution in Virginia Beach and Norfolk beginning in February. The deal was finalized earlier this month.
“It’s been part of our plan from the get-go,” said Phil Ray, co-owner of COTU. “We just wanted to make sure we thoroughly established a home base in Richmond first.”
Ray and his brother Chris launched the brewery in 2012 on Air Park Road in Ashland. Locally based Brown Distributing handles COTU’s distribution in the Richmond area.
The company produced 3,500 barrels of beer in 2014 and projects 5,000 barrels for 2015, Ray said. The expanded distribution won’t require any new investment in brewing equipment, he said, because COTU has improved its production efficiency to handle the increase.
Hoffman Beverage, which is headquartered in Virginia Beach, also works with Richmond’s Legend Brewing in Hampton Roads.
“They treat craft beer seriously and not as an afterthought,” Ray said. “It’s important to find a distributor who uses craft beer and really tries to drive craft beer sales.”
Center of the Universe has five year-round beers and several seasonal brews.
Hoffman will start out by offering COTU’s Ray Ray’s pale ale, Main Street Virginia ale, Pocahoptas IPA and Scotchtown Scotch ale to stores and bars.
Ray said that initially there will be some sporadic placement in grocery stores, and he hopes that COTU will be available in major grocery stores in the fall.
“We really know our place in Richmond,” Ray said. “It is a little daunting to take that to a new market where we’re not as nearly as recognized.”
But Ray said COTU’s key demographic is well-represented in Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
“We look for folks who are usually out of school or well into their careers,” he said. “They expect more for their money, but they’re willing to pay a little more for quality. The Norfolk and Virginia Beach areas have developed an excellent beer culture just like Richmond has.”
The push toward the coast puts COTU among a select few of Richmond’s rising wave of local breweries to expand beyond the area. In addition to Legend, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery and Hardywood Park Craft Brewery have expanded their distribution to Hampton Roads. Hardywood is also now in the western part of the state and in Northern Virginia.
Ray said heading north may be COTU’s next move.
“Chris has a soft spot in his heart for Baltimore,” he said. “In two years, we’d probably push to NoVa and then D.C.”