Michael Meade: Sullivan’s Brewing Company U.S. Chief Executive Officer Architecting New Business Paths for Irelands Oldest Brewery

"Although we are Ireland's oldest commercial brewery, at the end of the day this re-launch is a startup endeavour. I feel that the best motivator should be a combination of fearing failure and demanding positive outcomes."

United States of America Where tradition and transformation intersect, an organizational architect is required to design paths that honour transmitted customs generationally while transforming business patterns to suit current market trends. That architect is Michael Meade, a former New York City Banking Executive, and current U.S. Chief Executive Officer of Sullivan's Brewing Company. The brand story begins with two Irish families. The Sullivan's (1702) and Smithwick's (1710) opened their brewery doors in Ireland, starting a tradition of serving quality beer.

Apart from its early 18th-century Irish roots, Sullivan's has also been known as a workforce protector, employing locals in Kilkenny where the brewing started but it hasn't been a straightforward path. Michael explains, "The Smithwick family acquired the rights and trademarks of Sullivan's Brewing Company after a young Sullivan lost the entire brewery on an ill-fated bet on a horse in Deauville, France in 1918. Sullivan's then lay dormant for nearly a century until our current team pulled together to revive the brand. In 2013, Diageo (Smithwick's acquirer) closed the Smithwick brewery in Kilkenny, removing the last commercial brewery after a storied 800 years of brewing tradition."

On New Year's Eve 2014, Michael travelled to the historic Kilkenny town where he met the family and learned about their hopes to emerge the renown Sullivan's trademark. "The team was small, but their expertise was enormous. Eleven of my friends and I pooled money together to seed the Company. Even from that first meeting in 2014, it was clear that a stellar market opportunity would lie in exporting to the United States." His Irish roots are also a strong complement to the brand history. "I am a proud Irish-American. My grandparents came to the U.S. from Dublin about a century ago. I began to fall in love with Ireland itself after beginning to take regular trips there, starting in 2005." But Sullivan's Brewery isn't just based on a famous name.

"We have a robust brewing process and commitment to quality as our key stepping off points. We have the good fortune of having a unique and authentic history, two multi-century brewing families, as part of that background, and a tremendous Master Brewer." The brand renders on history, provenance, story and team.

Innovation isn't carried out as a point of departure. Instead, Sullivan's is on a mission to produce flawless Irish ales, made from top-notch ingredients, and harness the strength of their global team to get pints to the people. "Have we done and will we do more innovative collaborative brews with other breweries? Yes. Did Ian brew a German Dunkelweizen for Oktoberfest that is on offer in our Kilkenny Taproom right now? Yes. Do we do some small-scale seasonal brews? Yes. That is all innovation. But our main mission is to deliver our three Premium Irish Ales to the people."

Aware of the unpredictability of the market, the creative and approachable CEO understands how tricky re-launching a business can be, even with a winning brand name like Sullivan's. "Although we are Ireland's oldest commercial brewery, at the end of the day this re-launch is a startup endeavour. In recent times, startups have been romanticized, but an endeavour like this isn't for hobbyists. I feel that the best motivator should be a combination of fearing failure and demanding positive outcomes." Together with market navigation, conditions around each State Liquor Authority rules and regulations can be complicated. "At times there can be old-fashioned rules - when or where beer can be sold and the licensing around it." But with expansion on his mind, these constraints fare dim for a more significant share of established and emerging markets.

Sullivan's has an Irish team that has begun a renewed assessment of other markets around the globe. France, Holland, and Scandinavia have a strong affinity for red ales. "Let's not forget that the largest market in the world for Guinness is Nigeria. China is an opportunity for all kinds of well-documented reasons, not the least of which is the sheer population and a general craving for imports of many kinds." He also has his eye on Asia-Pacific, starting with Australia.

"As I think of Australia, I think of a natural bridge to the Irish diaspora, which is not unlike the appeal of the American market. So many folks have migrated to Australia from Ireland in the last few decades. Or at least spent some years there or studied there. One thing to note is that something like 70% of global beers are "yellow" in colour, and in some regions of the world may be the only type of beers seen in those markets. The world is an oyster, but supply chain and logistics are essential things to understand and ponder as a growing business is seeking sensible scale and positive outcomes. So while we have all kinds of urgency, we do still have to be intelligently patient."

Sullivan's has in its armoury a U.S. CEO who is an example of what great leadership. By his admission, Michael doesn't consult corporate guru books. Instead, he takes his inspiration from his parents and a high school rowing coach who helped him become a contemplative and winning leader. Consumer service is at the heart of Michael Meade's vision, which is why Sullivan's has every chance of success in the USA.

Beer Talk with Michael

The difference between beer and ale Maybe a better way to think of this is that beer can be considered the overall beverage descriptor, and then under that umbrella, the two most common categories of beer are ales and lagers. Within that framework, ale yeasts and lager yeasts have very different characteristics, their brewing process involves different fermentation considerations, and lagering also involves cold storage as an element of the overall process. Ale yeasts can impart fruity esters into a beer's profile, while lager yeasts are known to lack that impact. At Sullivan's, we brew ales, and traditional cask ale yeast is an essential ingredient contributing to the flavour and profile of our beers. See what I did there??!!

The best places in the N.Y. state to enjoy Sullivan's beer

We have so many incredible bar and restaurant partners who pour many of our ales, and we can't thank them enough. I am partial to the many outlets in the Buffalo, NY area, that is my hometown. Real friends are pouring our beer in Buffalo at The Blackthorn, The Irishman, Danny Sheehan’s Steakhouse, the Lenox Grill (and many others!). In Syracuse, NY, Kitty Hoynes is a fantastic place to visit for a pint. In Saratoga Springs, I love having a Sullivan's at the Olde Bryan Inn and Morrissey's. In Geneva, NY, Kelly’s Irish Pub is a true partner for us.