Brewer worthy of toast

YOU would be hard-pressed to find a local who is unhappy with the impact Little Creatures has had on Geelong.

The company’s repurposing of a disused factory at the river end of Swanston St into a funky brewery and dining hall has been a success in anybody’s language.

Employing 40 people in the brewery and a further 60 in the restaurant, the brewer’s first major foray outside its West Australian home has had the dual benefit of producing local jobs and a product in Furphy that is going gangbusters across the country.

The success is not lost on Corio MP Richard Marles, who quite rightly has drawn a local line in the sand against his fellow Federal Government Labor MP Andrew Leigh.

Mr Leigh weighed into the brewery wars last week, advocating for craft brewers who are battling their major counterparts for a slice of the beer market. As part of his defence of the little guys, Mr Leigh made a passing swipe at Little Creatures for its major investment in the local region.

While he is correct in identifying that Little Creatures is owned by Australia’s largest brewer in Lion, the argument is hardly enough to offset the $60 million that company has sunk into the local region and its ongoing success as a growing tourism drawcard.

With major brands including Ford and Alcoa exiting the region, it was refreshing to have a major company willing to make a major investment to set up stumps here — especially in a new industry.

And Mr Marles is correct when he says that local craft brewers, including Southern Bay Brewery Co and Blackman’s Brewery, are continuing to grow and carve their own niche in the market despite Little Creatures’ presence.

In fact, there is an argument that the success of so many brewers is adding to the region’s reputation as an industry hot spot.

A $60 million investment in Geelong, producing local jobs and product that is in demand across the country will always be welcome here.