BrewBox Foods: Craft Chews for Craft Brews
According to the old proverb, necessity is the mother of invention. For instance, the need to eat can be a strong motivator propelling many an innovative culinary solution throughout history. Such is the case with BrewBox, a local business providing gourmet dining options to breweries and tasting rooms. Yes, hunger did indeed generate the idea for this enterprise.
“I treated my wife to one of the local brewery tours for her birthday, and some friends came with us,” related Chef Steve Stallone. “We ate at the start of the tour, but by the end we were hungry again, and the last brewery didn’t serve food. We started kicking around ideas about what kind of food we thought would be convenient to serve at breweries without kitchens,” he said. Out of that brainstorming came BrewBox, a service providing gourmet packaged craft snacks.
Once they hit on the concept, Chef Stallone and his three partners moved quickly to make BrewBox a reality. From idea to launch was about three months, with each co-founder handling different aspects of the start-up tasks. Recipe development was top of the list. The team settled on an initial menu of about ten different offerings, including pimento cheese with crackers, salsa and chips and a charcuterie board.
The partners also conducted extensive research on requirements for labeling pre-packaged foods. Since BrewBox is a wholesale business and doesn't sell directly to consumers, packaging adheres to different regulations than for caterers or restaurants. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act requires BrewBox products to be labeled according to FDA standards, providing exact nutritional information to consumers. Additionally, each product is tracked through lot code information printed on each item, allowing BrewBox insight into what was sold and where, from start to finish.
Since the products are sold in single use packages, the BrewBox team was committed to sourcing environmentally friendly containers. “We really want to be eco-friendly while complying with the labeling requirements, as well as be visually appealing,” said Stallone.
After securing a location for food prep and packaging (albeit with considerable improvements to the existing kitchen) the next big hurdle to overcome was creating an efficient system, from sourcing ingredients all the way through to delivery at each location. The initial concept included an open cooler point of sale display; the BrewBox team quickly determined it would not be cost-effective and reworked the design before defining the current process. “We wanted to make this as convenient as possible for the breweries, from ordering to delivery, even marketing,” said Heather Schatz, BrewBox spokesperson and co-founder. “We work with each brewery on snack selection and tailor a menu with customized names, train the staff on the system and help promote the locations.” With the launch at each new brewery, the BrewBox team sets up a table with samples, to acquaint customers with their product. “It’s a great way for us to gain feedback on what we’re doing,” said Stallone.
With a business model that allows for expansion, the BrewBox team is excited about the local partners already in place, including Hyperion Brewing Company, Veterans United Craft Brewery, The Posting House, Southern Swells Brewing Co, Bold City Brewery and Tabula Rasa Brewing. "Based on our own experience, if you get hungry at a brewery that doesn’t offer food, you are more likely to go in search of something to eat," said Schatz. "We feel like we are offering a convenient and tasteful dining option so guests can enjoy themselves longer at the breweries."
Want to sample BrewBox Foods gourmet snacks? Follow them on Facebook for their brewery lineup.
