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Our team has decades of experience in the beverage industry, delivering successful solutions across all aspects of branding, manufacturing, sales, and marketing. We have led marketing and sales efforts for brands in the beer, spirits, soda, and sparkling water industries. The secret to our success lies within our ability to combine our knowledge of beverage markets with our creative abilities in package design, sales, and marketing.
Band of Brothers Water Company created a beverage that looks and feels like a beer, but is an electrolyte packed sparkling water. After a few years of getting their brand out in their local market and developing relationships with supermarkets like Whole Foods Market, Plum Market, and Busch’s Fresh Food Market, the owners felt it was time to take their brand to the next level. Band of Brothers Water Company partnered with Michigan Beverage Company to support all aspects of marketing and selling their Käter Wingman brand.
Michigan Beverage Company has implemented a complete brand refresh including new packaging, a new website, and point of sale materials. MBC also secured additional distribution partners that are supporting expanded chain store and restaurant accounts. And there are some additional big announcements coming this Fall. Stay tuned.
Käter Wingman is set to rock the sparkling water market.
We support the growth of businesses through the development of strategies that provide clear direction and focus. We plan the work and work the plan.
Our past experiences allow us to take a methodical approach to Sales Strategy. We listen to your needs; we case study past and current experiences, we formulate multiple plans, we share them together and come to the best solution.
Our goal is sales, and we believe good marketing plays a crucial role in driving sales. Great marketing results from creative thinking teamed with implementation. Our primary mission is to help your business grow, and we have the tools and experience to accomplish that mission.
Our background in all aspects of beverage manufacturing allows us to bring a second set of eyes to new projects. We have worked with some of the best and brightest in the country and continue to utilize past relationships.
We design with consumers in mind and create product packages that POP off the shelves. Our approach to package design conveys the personality of the brand and elevates the perceived quality of the product. We strive to help the consumer like the brand and product before even trying it.
Every state is its own country, with its own set of rules and compliance. We have done business in all states and understand the twists and turns. Our background in understanding key financial measures allows us to develop comprehensive plans to avoid monetary pitfalls.
Adam Lambert
Managing Partner / President
Adam has spent the last 25 years learning from just about every angle of the beverage industry. Starting out as a grocery store liquor clerk to growing into his current role as Founder of Craft-Union and President of Michigan Brewers Union. Prior to working with MBU Adam has spent the last two years as Chief Revenue Officer at BrewDog USA. Previous roles include COO for Storied Craft Breweries, participating and evaluating M&A in all beverage categories, VP of Sales for Virtue Cider part of ABI’s High End group, VP of Sales for New Holland Brewery and Distillery, 7 years’ as VP of Sales for Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and 6 years as National Sales and Marketing Manager for Rogue Ales. Past experiences include owning a wine distribution and brokerage company, managing the west coast as a brewery brand manager for SLO Brewing Company, Sales rep for Wine Warehouse and is a proud graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Adam has been a member of the Independent Council on 3-Tier Dynamics and long serving member of the Brewers Association Export Development Committee. Adam has been a featured presenter at the Craft Brewers Conference, Brewbound Brew Talks, Beverage Trade Network, and the Bar and Night Club Show. Featured article in the New Brewer Magazine September / October 2018.
Rick Sharpe
Managing Partner / Sales director
Richard Sharpe entered the business world in the 80s achieving success as a senior executive for PepsiCo, ConAgra foods, FTD and Comcast. His responsibilities included managing consumer marketing, sales and product/business development areas, as such, he had total responsibility for the launch of over 80 ‘new’ consumer products for both the domestic and international markets that were supported by fully comprehensive marketing actions.
In 2014, Rick created Cambridge Sharpe to utilize his strong skill sets targeting the Automotive industry as potential clients. Cambridge Sharpe supports, develops and incubates new “startup” products developed in Silicon Valley that leverage connected car platforms. CS has sponsored 10 “startups” both hardware and software products securing pilots/trials at GM, Ford and Nissan in both aftermarket and production positions.
Kyle Maurer
Managing Partner / Marketing Director
Before co-founding Black Lab Five in 2004, Kyle was a broadcast producer and account executive at an advertising agency in Kalamazoo, MI, where he was responsible for managing marketing campaigns and producing television and radio commercials for clients such as Bell’s Brewery, Homedics, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and various hospital/health systems in Michigan and Indiana.
Over the past 25 years, Kyle has worked extensively in the craft beverage industry. He began his career working with Kellogg’s on numerous packaging related projects including cereal box packaging and developing vending machine packages for various Kellogg’s brands. From there, his firm spent the next two decades as the agency of record for Bell’s Brewery developing creative package designs and marketing communications for the brand. Kyle also has over a decade of experience working with the Michigan Brewers Guild helping develop communications to promote the craft beer industry throughout the state of Michigan. Other beverage related brand experience includes Green Door Distillery, New Holland Spirits, Altes Brewing, Dark Horse Brewery, and Roak Brewing Co.
Kent Elliott
Managing Partner / Creative Director
Kent Elliott, co-founder and Creative Director of Black Lab Five, Advertising/Design, has been shaping brands’ looks and strategies in Michigan’s beer and spirits industry for over 25 years. He has won quite a number of local, regional and national design awards along the way — many in the packaging category. Kent spent over two decades helping build the Bell’s Brewery brand, and over another decade assisting the Michigan Brewers Guild, with promotion of Michigan beer. Kent has also done extensive brand development and design for a number of other beverage brands, including New Holland Spirits, Dark Horse Brewery, Roak Brewing, Altes Brewing, and Green Door Distillery.
Dan Fiebelkorn
Managing Partner / Chief Financial Officer
Dan has over $1B in hands on transaction experience in public accounting and financial services in healthcare, real estate and construction industries, among others. Dan began in a boutique CPA firm, has over 10 years with Plante Moran then joined Solyco Capital to lead Financial & Tax services for small and midmarket clients. He has served clients ranging from small family owned businesses to large institutional and private equity groups.
Dan has helped clients with asset and equity transactions on both the buy and sell side. Dan has diversified experience with early stage and mature companies in structuring the sale of a business, with a specialty in generational succession. He has worked on state and local reporting for income tax and sales use tax in states all over the country. Dan has tax experience internationally including China, Canada, Mexico, and Germany. Dan has consulted with his clients on sales and use tax, personal property tax, quarterly bonuses, WIP schedules, estate planning, payroll, bookkeeping, healthcare, employee benefits among other financial services. Dan leads compliance to assist clients, not limited to, but including tax reform including QBID, Business interest limitation, GILTI tax, and the impacts to an individual’s tax return.
Dan earned his BA and Masters from Michigan State University. He also is a Certificated Public Accountant and a Certified Financial Analyst. He is also a member of the Healthcare Association of Michigan.
