Derek Martin, the owner of Martin Brothers Winery located in Hayden, Colorado. Martin Brothers Winery started in 2009 in Hermann, Missouri as a family winery focusing on Norton grapes. However, they discovered more success with mead production using various honey varieties. Derek discusses the winery's transition to solely producing traditional meads and the challenges of sourcing honey from different regions. He also talks about scaling up production and the logistical difficulties of the move from Missouri to Colorado. The interview covers Derek's background, the winery's history and products, honey sourcing and production processes, as well as expansion goals and trends in the mead industry.
Key Takeaways
- Developing standardized processes and procedures to allow scaling and hiring employees to take over tasks. This frees up the owner's time.
- Jumping into business ownership means learning aspects of running a business beyond just production, like sales, marketing, and financial management.
- Documenting processes helps new employees understand tasks step-by-step to efficiently take over responsibilities.
- Sourcing ingredients like honey from different regions can impact the flavor and uniqueness of mead products. Consistent quality fermentation is also important.
- Scaling production while moving operations presented challenges like upgrading equipment and establishing new distribution networks.
- Developing standardized processes allows a business to systematize tasks and efficiently train new hires.
- Mead production involves aspects of both winemaking and running a business. Entrepreneurs need skills in areas like cash flow management, sales, and financial planning.
- The mead industry is growing but still, niche, offering opportunities for businesses to highlight unique ingredients in varietal honey.
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Blog:
From Grapes to Gold: The Sweet Evolution of Martin Brothers Winery