Red River Brewing Company receives training fund
The New Mexico Economic Development Department has announced the awardees for the December round of the Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP), and Red River Brewing Company & Distillery is among them.
“Awarded JTIP funds will cover a portion of trainee wages for up to six months,” said Max Khudiakov, Tourism & Economic Development director for the Town of Red River. “This incentive will help Red River Brewing Company to train new production employees to learn new skills and earn higher wages in rural areas like Red River.”
Red River Brewing recently made efforts to expand their distilling operations by opening a separate distillery, which created new employment options for Red River. Michael Calhoun, the owner and general manager of Red River Brewing Company, is directing the training funds toward hiring local employees.
“We’re a very communityfocused organization — one of the largest employers in the area,” Calhoun said. “We always try to do what’s best and what’s right for our friends and neighbors, you know, they’re part of our work family. Providing opportunities for people in our area to develop a career — not just the job, but a real, professional, full-time, year-round, skilled labor position working in a production brewery and distillery — is something we’re proud to do.”
Red River Brewing, the highest brewery and distillery in New Mexico, was founded in Red River in 2018 by the Calhoun family. The business not only operates a brewery and distillery but also a fullservice restaurant. The growing segment of the business is the wholesale distribution of the company’s beer and spirits to retail stores and restaurants throughout New Mexico, as well as West Texas and California.
“The expansion of the production side of Red River Brewing Company will help a town that heavily relies on the travel and tourism industry to diversify its economy and be a great example to other local businesses to think out of the box when planning their business expansions,” Khudiakov said.