Empire Brewing Company, 1911 Established merge sales departments

Syracuse–based Empire Brewing Company and 1911 Established, a brand of 1911 Spirits, a division of Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards in LaFayette, have merged their sales departments.

The sales partnership involves eight people working in areas that include Central New York, Western New York, Albany, and New York City, Empire Brewing said in a recent news release.

Combining their sales personnel allows both companies to “increase their visibility and grow the two brands,” they contend.

Access to market and supporting our distribution network are two of the biggest challenges for craft-beer and craft-cider producers across the U.S., David Katleski, owner of the Empire Brewing Company, said in the release.

“So often we are asked by our customers as to where they can purchase our products. Combining 1911 and Empire’s sales team will allow us to better support our distributors and [retailers] so to provide our products to customers across our backyard in Upstate New York. This partnership allows noncompetitive synergy between our companies and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Beak and Skiff/1911 as a partner,” said Katleski.

Combining the two sales departments is “exciting” and will allow both companies to go “even deeper with our street-level presence” in New York, Eddie Brennan, co-owner of 1911 Established, contended. “Uniting New York’s largest farm brewery with New York’s largest craft cidery will give us the strength in numbers that is required to support our distributor and retail partners.”

Tiffany Rogers, Empire’s former New Jersey brand manager, will now serve as the head of sales for the combined Empire and 1911 Established sales department.

Rogers has worked in the craft-beverage industry for 12 years.

“I feel that there is so much untapped potential in our backyard,” Rogers said in the release. “This partnership between Empire and 1911 will enable us to make a greater impact by combining our similar values and practices. I’m excited to lead our team and am looking forward to our future.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com