What's your reasoning for choosing the SAFE route and your basis for your valuation? Thanks.

Our original plan was to offer convertible notes; however, SAFE, which is substantially similar with respect to terms, offered a key advantage: simplicity. The documentation describing SAFE to investors is straightforward and to the point, which was important to us because we wanted to go with an offering that everyone, not just sophisticated investors, could take part in. Our valuation is based on projections, which show the company reaching $3.5M in annual revenues by year three—at which po...

You reference a future arrangement where your new facility will co-pack and distribute for up to 10 other brands. Is this revenue stream included in this offering or will that be a completely separate business?

Absolutely. The co-packing component is included in this offering. In Hawaii, there’s a serious shortage of manufacturing resources need to enable entrepreneurs to create products on island. For this reason, local businesses are typically forced to ship their ingredients to the mainland to have them packaged. Hawaii Cider Co. plans to utilize the equipment and facilities, during the times that they are not being used to produce cider, to co-pack for other companies in exchange for a co-packin...

How are you calling it hard cider when it legally has to be made from fermented apples?

Great question. While we’re excited about making ciders using a variety of tropical fruits, Hawaii Cider Co. will definitely be making cider with apples, too. The ciders we make with other tropical fruits will include subtext on the bottle to identify them as “sparking wine”, which is the definition currently set forth by industry regulators. We think it’s a minor technicality and are committed to working within the confines of the TTB and related tax authorities in order to ensure the compan...

This sounds exciting. Will your facility be able to also manufacture other products such as avocado oil? - which can be made even with avos that are watery and no high fat content, thus taking advantage also of so many avocadoes that go to waste around the island...

We’re open to all kinds of collaborations! Avocado oil sounds like a great opportunity. Working with a diverse spectrum of local farmers and entrepreneurs is probably our favorite part of the job. We are already working with a local hot pepper guru who would like to co-package his amazing line of Hawaiian hot sauces, under the brand: Spicy Ninja Sauce, with us. Similarly a local tea company is ready to begin working with us, as soon as the facility is up and running. Email me directly chris@h...

Do you anticipate that your distribution to the mainland will be fairly seamless, given the relationship Hawaiian Ola already has with large retailers?

Great observation. Yes. We do anticipate that our existing partnerships with large retailers such as Whole Foods, Safeway, CVS/Longs, etc. will translate into a very quick ramp-up for distribution of the new ciders on the mainland. Likewise, we also anticipate many of our small independent grocery, specialty, and gourmet stores to follow suite. It took Hawaiian Ola years to develop this retail network and the trusting relationships that come with it. Now, Hawaii Cider Co. will benefit from ha...

Ola Brew Co. Updates, Team, and Funding Progress | Wefunder, Home of the Community Round

First to bring production scale, locally sourced, craft cider to Hawaii.

Raised over $2.5M for equipment, facility build out, and taproom.

Launched our 14,000 sq. foot beverage facility and taproom in December of 2017.

 Launched our retail products in stores statewide in July, 2018, 7 months after we opened doors. We are now in over 250 retail locations throughout the state including Wholefoods, Costco, Safeway, CVS and many local chains and independent stores.&

 Our founding team signed 3-year work commitments, and each team member has a stake in the company, incentivizing them to take ownership and pride in everything they do. 

Managed by seasoned beverage industry professionals. 

Will open first satellite taproom on Oahu in the fall of 2019.

Raised $707,205 from 634 investors on Wefunder since May 2017.

Ola Brew Co.

Producing world-class beers and ciders using local ingredients in Hawai'i County

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Ola Brew Co.

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$948,011

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