MOGADORE, Ohio — Many small businesses and employees have endured a lot during the pandemic, and Crafted Meadery is another case, but its owner is grateful he’s been able to navigate through the hard times.
What You Need To Know
- Crafted Meadery has been in business for more than eight years
- Brewing started as a hobby for owner, Kent Waldeck
- Their mead is in 38 different states
Owner Kent Waldeck was already used to working from home, because Crafted Meadery is attached to his house.
However, he originally was in the corporate world, and brewing was just a hobby.
“I started off home brewing,” said Waldeck. “Every home brewing book has, in the appendix, a little section on mead. I wasn’t very good at making beer. The mead we made was better.”
Mead is the world’s oldest fermented beverage.
“The best way I can explain it,” said Waldeck. “Is mead is made from honey.”
Crafted Meadery has been perfecting its mead for years, winning of competitions along the way.
“We do a lot of different stuff a lot of crazy and innovative ingredients is kind of what we’re known for,” said Waldeck. “This is our latest release. This is our cherry cheesequaker devices.”
Crafted Meadery has a lot of mead to satisfy a sweet tooth, and plenty of other cravings.
“That’s the fun thing with mead, it’s really an open pallet that you can do a lot of different things with,” said Waldeck.
Like other small businesses, Crafter Meadery had to adjust with shutdowns and other hardships forced by the pandemic.
“Our wholesale business is a big part of what we do,” said Waldeck. “Selling to distributors and wholesalers in different states so they can go sell our products to bars and restaurants, bottle shops and grocery stores, and a like, that really went away completely for about three months.”
Luckily though, it was able to come out on the other side. Now, the business is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. According to Nielsen’s market data, total alcohol sales increased around the country by 24 percent during the pandemic.
It’s in 38 states as well.
“What we have noticed over the last four months is we’ve seen this gradual increase, where now things have been pretty healthy and good.” said Waldeck. “Online sales through the pandemic have really spiked. It’s really helped bridge the gap through the more lean months.”
For more information, visit the Crafted Meadery website.
