PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Eastside Distilling, Inc. (NASDAQ: EAST), a producer of award-winning spirits, along with canning and bottling capabilities through its MotherLode subsidiary, today announced an agreement with Source Code Beverage to begin canning their full lineup of Backpack Wine varieties.
Backpack Wine is among the first to offer quality wines from the state of Washington in take-anywhere, easy-open, recyclable cans. Backpack Wine lets you skip the cork, grab a pack and take their quality wines with you, no matter how far off (or on!) the beaten path you want to go. Currently Backpack Wine distributes its products through retail outlets in 30 states, as well as its online store at backpack-wine.com. During 2017, the company had production of approximately 20,000 cases with growth anticipated in 2018.
Currently, Backpack Wine offers multiple unique Washington-based canned wines, including:
- Cheeky Rose™, a Washington State Pinot Blanc and Sangiovese Rose blend, is a drier expression, with a touch of peach, strawberry and rose petal; a clean crisp blush wine, it’s a bright treat with an open grill in the summer or rich foods in the winter.
- Snappy White™, a Washington State Riesling based blend, has a touch of sweetness and weight that finishes with refreshing acidity. This balanced white delivers notes of green apple and Asian pear, making it perfect for cocktail hour or with spicy summer dishes.
- Rowdy Red, a tasty blend of Washington State Merlot and Syrah, shows dark cherry on the nose. It drinks velvety smooth showing black cherry, plum and a touch of spice. Chill a bit and enjoy anywhere.
“We are pleased to be working with the team at Eastside to package our products; enabling us to devote our time to the things that we do best and continue the consistent growth of the business,” said Backpack Wine founder Jim Doehring. “We keep our eyes on our customers and their on-the-go lifestyles, where the convenience of the can is a great advantage. Backpack Wine is for anyone who wants to enjoy great wine wherever life takes them, and we’re excited to bring quality canned wine into the hands of more customers.”
Grover Wickersham, CEO of Eastside, said, “We are excited to work with Backpack Wine on this important component of their business. We expect that Eastside’s canning capabilities will help drive efficiencies and meet the expected growth demands for Backpack Wine in 2018 and beyond. Eastside and Backpack Wine are well positioned to capitalize on significant growth trends taking place within the canned wine market. Much of this growth is attributable to millennials seeking convenient alternatives to fit their active lifestyles, as well as the sustainability benefits of cans. We believe Backpack has tapped into something with great potential.”
Eastside’s wine canning line includes such features as a 5-head counter pressure filler and single head seamer and will allow for production volume of 3,000 24-can cases per day. The custom built canning line is designed to produce Ball Corporation's popular "slim can" in 187ml, 200ml and 250ml sizes. Eastside will be canning 250ml cans for Backpack, in a four-pack case. With its strikingly slender silhouette, the slim can cuts a fine figure, making it the perfect away-from-home companion. The slim can is a smart format for brands seeking to target single-family households, and time-constrained consumers looking for high-quality, convenient, immediate drink solutions. This is a convenient alternative for those who have active lifestyles. Overall, the line will be able to can wine and “ready-to-drink” (“RTD”) beverages containing up to 20% alcohol by volume.
About Backpack Wine
Backpack Wine®, a product of Source Code Beverage® headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, is a premium canned wine made from Washington-grown grapes sold in four-packs of 250ml cans. Backpack Wine’s three varieties; Rowdy Red, Snappy White® and Cheeky Rosé® are sold through a distributor network and can be found at fine restaurants and bars as well as leading beverage and grocery retailers in several markets including AL, AR, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, OH, OK, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NY, OK, SC, TN, TX, and WI. For more information on Backpack Wine®, visit www.backpack-wine.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram at BackpackWineCo.
About Eastside Distilling
Eastside Distilling, Inc. (NASDAQ: EAST) has been producing high-quality, award-winning craft spirits in Portland, Oregon since 2008. The company is distinguished by its highly decorated product lineup that includes Burnside Bourbon, West End American Whiskey, Goose Hollow Reserve, Below Deck Rums, Portland Potato Vodka, Hue-Hue Coffee Rum and a distinctive line of fruit infused spirits. Eastside Distilling is majority owner of Big Bottom Distilling (makers of The Ninety One Gin, Navy Strength Gin and Delta Rye whiskey) and the Redneck Riviera Whiskey Co. All Eastside, Big Bottom and Redneck Riviera spirits are crafted from natural ingredients for quality and taste. Eastside’s MotherLode Bottling subsidiary is one of the Northwest’s leading independent spirit bottlers and ready-to-drink canners. For more information visit: www.eastsidedistilling.com or follow the company on Twitter and Facebook.
Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Such matters involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the following: changes in economic conditions; general competitive factors; acceptance of the Company's products in the market; the Company's success in obtaining new customers; the Company's success in product development; the Company's ability to execute its business model and strategic plans; the Company's success in integrating acquired entities and assets, and all the risks and related information described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the financial statements and related information contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and interim Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release may include statements related to our strategic focus, product verticals, anticipated revenue, and profitability. The Company assumes no obligation to update the cautionary information in this release.