June 12, 2020
To our loyal Grand River Brewing customers,
Thank you for your patience throughout the COVID-19 crisis which resulted in our Cambridge facility and tap room to be temporarily unavailable. During this shutdown period, we were faced with evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on our business and determining the next steps that were best for our company, including this wonderful beer brand that has become a proud part of our family business. It has been a very challenging and reflective time.
The original building and home of Grand River Brewing in Cambridge, which housed the Galt Knife Company for close to 100 years, was something we fell in love with instantly when we first acquired Grand River Brewing. The building's history and red double-brick construction with large windows that flooded the interior with natural light charmed us and we were hooked. Little did we know that we would face a growing number of unexpected obstacles in operating this property from the start. Sadly, we have made the difficult decision to close our operations at this facility and trust that you will understand our position.
So we have begun a new journey for this beloved brand and invite you to come along with us. We are pleased to announce that Grand River Brewing is now officially operating at our Magnotta Vaughan facility, together with our award winning Magnotta Brewery. One of the first craft breweries in Ontario established in 1996, Magnotta Brewery is excited to be working side by side with Grand River Brewing. Together we will continue to grow our own distinctive ingredients on acres of hop fields in Vineland, Ontario and pride ourselves on providing unique flavours using quality ingredients to make natural, wholesome and honest beer, just the way it should be.
Production of our award winning Grand River Brewing products has ramped up at our Vaughan facility, guided by a talented group of brewers and an enthusiastic support team that's excited to be part of Grand River's next chapter. All beers are being stocked. Some are small batch, seasonal or limited time runs. Over the last several weeks, you may have experienced some availability issues during this transition period so thank you for bearing with us as we catch up to demand.
We know you will all miss dropping by the historical location in Cambridge to visit the tap room and taste some of the best craft beers Ontario has to offer but we hope to be back in Cambridge in a new form down the road. Magnotta Winery has had roots in Cambridge for over 20 years. We want to assure our Cambridge-based followers that the rich history of the Galt community and the mighty Grand River will remain integral parts of Grand River Brewing's identity. Preserving community ties and traditions has been a part of the Magnotta family brand for 30 years and we expect to do the same for Grand River Brewing.
Your favourite beers continue to be available at select LCBO stores, grocery stores and agency stores. You can also shop online for all Grand River Brewing beers as well as Magnotta beers with delivery to your home or curbside pick-up at any of our 13 retail stores, including our Cambridge location.
Plus, you can stay in touch with us by subscribing to our newsletter at magnotta.com. You'll be the first to know about new beers, limited releases, tasting events and exclusive offers. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram too.
We're all excited about what's ahead as we continue to guide our loyal followers on a journey of taste discovery in craft beer. We hope you are too.
Here's to the next journey.
With thanks,
Rossana Magnotta
CEO, Magnotta Winery Corporation