Photo by Government of BC
Fernie Brewing
Owner, Murray Pask, and business manager, Lenka Hawrys, welcomed East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett to Fernie Brewing.
Located in the Rocky Mountains, where work and play mix with copious amounts of fresh air, locally crafted beer by the Fernie Brewing Company is giving British Columbians a taste of the outdoor life with every sip.
In 2003, the Pask family noticed something missing from their small Rocky Mountain coal mining town – a local brewery. The business started in the family barn, and has now grown and expanded into a larger facility to keep up with the demand for their delicious and refreshing brews. With a passion for their craft, the Pasks have discovered a way to mix work and play.
But brand manager Abi Moore says the young brewery initially struggled to get the word out past their local market.
“As a locally owned and operated B.C. business distributing throughout the province, we have found that our brand awareness is often limited to our local Kootenay market,” Moore says. “Residing closer to the Alberta border than the B.C. craft beer hubs of Vancouver or Victoria means we often aren’t associated with being a local B.C. brand."
Now Fernie Brewing is receiving funding from the provincial government’s Buy Local program. The program supports local agrifood and seafood companies to help promote their products through Buy Local initiatives.
Fernie Brewing is receiving up to $75,000 to launch a marketing campaign to increase brand awareness and distribution in B.C., to give consumers throughout the province the opportunity to have a taste of the local brew.
“Fernie Brewing Co. is very excited to be a part of this Provincial funding program,” says Moore, adding it will allow the company to promote its products throughout BC, and particularly in the major population centres of Vancouver and Victoria.