More Brewing: Keep Innovating to Stay Relevant

According to experts, the craft beer market in the United States is a $7+ billion industry with a crowded marketplace being the most significant factor limiting its growth. In the Chicagoland area, there were 230 breweries recorded in 2022, with dozens more under development. But for More Brewing Company owners Sunny and Perry Patel, the path to success has always been clear. You’ve got to keep innovating to stay relevant.

The Patels’ award-winning craft brewery, which opened in 2017, specializes in hop-saturated ales, flavorful imperial stouts, and a variety of unique ales and lagers. In addition to their own craft beer, brewed onsite at their Villa Park brewpub, they also offer a tasty and inspired food menu, an extensive whiskey/bourbon collection, craft spirits, wines on tap, and various options from other local breweries.

The Challenge

Staying relevant in a saturated marketplace is decidedly difficult. According to a CNN business report, during the first quarter of 2022, at least 53 craft breweries closed, up from 42 closures in Q1 of 2021. Sunny and Perry Patel understand that adapting to trends and cultivating a loyal customer base requires tenacity and innovation. They also knew that creating opportunities for customers to join an exclusive membership program paired with premium packaging would be a unique way to stand out.

More Brewing’s Senior Creative Content Specialist Bo Russell explains, “Our goal was to elevate the unboxing experience for our most loyal customers. Our henna beers are the award-winning stouts that have put us on the map. We offer bottles in limited releases several times a year, which are highly anticipated by our members. The Barrel Aged version of these sought-after beers was created to mark our five-year anniversary, and we were looking for a very, very special presentation. We needed the tubes to match the care we have for the beer, and The Paper Tube Co. proved to be the right choice.”

The Solution

With the help of The Paper Tube Co. team, Russell designed three different tubes for each of their three Barrel Aged Henna releases. “The first time you do something,” laughs Russell, “is rarely efficient. Each of the bottles is hand-packed and hand-labeled with batch-specific details on the back of each tube. It’s a lot of work. But people have responded to the new tubes extremely well. Our customers love our beer, but we know we’ve got to be unique to survive. It takes more than just a great product.”

“Maintaining the highest quality product is always most important to us as a company,” adds General Manager Aaron Keefner. “We want our products to look as stunning as they taste, while not being too bland or too busy.” The folks at More Brewing refer to their operation as “a modern American Brewery with South Asian flair” and call their exclusive membership the Bairel Society, a nod to the native dialect spoken by their founders who migrated from India. Barrel Aged Hennas, including Coconut Swirl, Double Rainbow, and Birthday, are offered through a lottery system. “We typically have 1200 bottles to sell and up to 5000 members queuing up to score a bottle,” says Russell. “A random draw selects the lucky customers.” There’s no doubt this innovative company has found a way to keep customers coming back for more.

The Results

“The quality of the paper tubes was something we all found very impressive,” says Keefner. “The Paper Tube Co. offered us options for foil stamping and UV and even helped us create the wood grain look Bo Russell had in mind. Overall, The Paper Tube Co. was able to execute everything so well.”

Inspiration for the final design came from the barrels in which the henna beers are aged, in some cases for up to 22 months. “The ‘henna’ collection refers to the family history of our Indian founders,” explains Keefner, “and the package design is a reflection of their background and family history. It was imperative that the bottle fit snugly in the tube. The Paper Tube Co. really went the extra mile by sending one of our bottles to the manufacturing plant to ensure a perfect fit. In addition to the excellent customer service, the price point and quality were ultimately our reasons for going with The Paper Tube Co. on this project.”

With three successful releases under its belt, More Brewing Co. is headed into year six of operation with big plans for the coming year. We’re sure they’ll continue to innovate for long-term success, and we’ll be ready to assist as future packaging needs arise.