Where the Legend Began
While Grain Belt didn’t necessarily start out as Grain Belt right from the get go, the people who made it what it is sure knew what they were doing. Partnerships formed, mergers happened, and the city of Minneapolis was flourishing with great beer.
The first Grain Belt product was introduced to reference the strong farming community and plentiful agricultural crop that came from the land. Consumers loved it and the name stuck, we’ve grown quite fond of it ourselves.
Prohibition Slows the Steam
Grain Belt products had been gaining popularity since its inception, but Prohibition hit, and it hit hard. Breweries were doing whatever they could do to stay afloat. Candy, soft drinks, non-alcoholic beverages, you name it, they tried it.
However, nothing seemed quite enough to get them through the dry period. Other breweries were closing doors left and right, Grain Belt didn’t want to accept the same fate yet it seemed like the writing was on the wall if change didn’t happen fast.
Up and Downs Plague the Industry
After escaping Prohibition by the skin of their teeth, beer began to flow again for Grain Belt. Everyone was thirsty and demand was high. It wasn’t long though before the industry saw a huge dip across the board.
Operations slowed and it took some creative thinking to get the brand back on track. A hefty amount of advertising, a fresh brand campaign, and new beer that you may have heard of called Grain Belt Premium.
The Hits Just Keep on Coming
A few acquisitions help Grain Belt continue to grow only to soon be knocked down by the big brewers when they come to town. Regional breweries had a target on their backs and just couldn’t compete with the big guys.
After years of taking punches, sales were so low that choices were few and the brewery closed its doors. The remains were sold and while it started back up again a short while later, things were different. Grain Belt was the black sheep and eventually the owner moved Grain Belt out of Minnesota completely.
Grain Belt Never Goes Down Without a Fight
Knowing that the brand was not living up to its full potential, investors brought Grain Belt back to Minnesota to breathe new life into it. It wasn’t long before spirits were high and Grain Belt was doing well once again. More challenges brought one more downturn to the brand forcing yet again another closure.
Enter Schell’s Brewery, buying the labels and ramping up production once again. Production is still going strong to this day and the brand is expanding and doing better than ever!
