Vancouver Island Brewing announces major changes and layoffs
Vancouver Island Brewing (VIB), one of the island’s oldest craft breweries, announced that it’s relocating its large-batch brewing operations to Phillips Brewing starting November 1.
Unfortunately, this transition will lead to layoffs within VIB’s production team.
“The outsourcing of production to Phillips will result in the most unwanted and difficult part of this transition, and that is, that the positions we have in operations will unfortunately be eliminated effective November 1,” said VIB’s general manager, Thom Riley, in a release.
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VIB attributes this decision to several factors, including the impacts of COVID-19 social distancing, inflation, supply chain challenges, and, most notably, a 35% rent increase at its Government Street location.
“Due to rising costs including a 35% rent increase we’ve signed a co-pack agreement to have our popular lineup of craft beer brewed and packaged by our friends at Phillips Brewing, effective November 1,” a social media post said.
VIB ensures that the transition will be seamless and that its main lineup of beers —
Islander Lager, Mystic Haze, and Broken Islands Hazy IPA — will continue to be locally made and available.
“It was important for us to find a craft brewery whose operators also have deep, local roots and whose commitment to excellence and quality matches our own,” the brewery said about moving its operations to Phillips down the street. “[Phillips’] operations team consistently maintain high-quality standards.”
According to VIB, the taproom on Government Street will remain open and VIB will continue to produce small-batch beers.
This news comes as another long-time craft brewer, Swans, announced it was halting its brewery production.