Hoptown Handles Acquires Beer to Bags!
You read that right, folks! We are thrilled to announce that as of April 2024, Hoptown Handles, has acquired Beer to Bags, a rapidly growing upcycling brand known for taking discarded brewing malt bags and upcycling them into eye-catching and durable tote bags and more. Beer to Bags Founder, Emily Neville, will be coming along with it as Shore Up Supply’s new Director of Business Development to act as a steward of the brand and to lead their sales efforts. If you haven’t had a chance to meet her yet, be sure to say hi!
Beer to Bags Founder, Emily Neville, and Hoptown Handles and Shore Up Supply Founder, Ben Weston getting attendees STOKED on Beer to Bags during the 2024 Craft Brewer’s Conference.
Why Beer to Bags?
Beer to Bags was born out of the concept of taking waste streams and turning them into revenue streams. The average craft brewery in the US can generate anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred malt bags every week. With over 9,000 craft breweries operating in the US today, that is a pretty significant waste stream! Some breweries have found innovative ways to give these bags a second life, but the majority of malt bags still find their way to landfills unfortunately. Emily founded Beer to Bags in 2021 as a solution to help put an end to malt bag waste in the industry, removing 10,000+ malt bags from landfills and getting the tote bags into over 200 craft breweries and taprooms around the country to date.
When presented with the opportunity to purchase the Beer to Bags brand and bring Emily to the Shore Up team, it was an easy decision for Hoptown Handles and Shore Up Supply Founder, Ben Weston. The shared values of sustainability and quality, alongside Emily’s energy and passion for scaling sustainably-minded businesses made for a natural fit within the Hoptown Handles brand family and team. Under new management, Beer to Bags will continue to grow as a champion brand in Shore Up Supply’s growing portfolio of sustainable and USA-Made branded merch, apparel and P.O.P. material offerings.
Why is this so important?
It’s no secret that consumers are demanding more eco-friendly options in recent years, and that demand appears to be increasing as time goes on. Leading that charge are Millenials and Gen Z who are voting increasingly with their dollars by investing in sustainable and eco-friendly brands. When you purchase sustainably sourced goods, you are able to reduce your impact on the natural world while maximizing your brand’s impact with your customers. Our sister company Shore Up Supply said it best, “the quality of your merch should match the quality of your product/service. Afterall, your merch is a direct extension of your brand(s).” By offering high quality, sustainably-minded branded merch to your offerings, you can create more good will with your customers and show that your merch shares the same values as the rest of your brand(s).
Beer to Bags embodies this perfectly: an upcycled product that takes a waste stream and turns it into a revenue stream. As both Hoptown Handles and Shore Up Supply continue to grow, we are going to continue to focus on sourcing sustainably made and USA-Made products to further differentiate ourselves from the pack, as well as continue to be stewards of the natural world around us. Beer to Bags is just the beginning as we continue on our journey to become a greener and US locally-focused company. The Hoptown and Shore Up teams have a wealth of beverage industry and sustainable business experience to offer, so let us help get you/continue on the path to becoming a more eco-friendly company by getting you outfitted with some greener and USA-Made tap handles and merch, today!
