Koholā Brewery wasn’t immune from the plight of COVID-19. The pandemic hit the independent Maui brewing operation hard, forcing the closure of its Lahaina taproom and causing the demand for its products to dip 90%.
In May, Koholā closed its doors, stopped making beer, and laid off all employees. Three months later, the company has found new island investors to infuse capital and avoid bankruptcy. A developer from the Big Island and a West Maui resident teamed up to inject enough capital to address past debts, restart operations, and create a cash reserve to last through the pandemic. Several suppliers and partners also contributed substantially to the recovery of the company, according to a brewery press release.
“Koholā brewery makes excellent craft beers and has a strong local following,” said Mary Anderson and Greg Lang from Lahaina. “The products quickly became some of our favorites. We didn’t want to see a loss of the startup work, nor the loss of a popular local brand. We see this as an exciting opportunity to fund the next phase of growth for Koholā.”
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Koholā Brewery is a local, independent craft brewery located in the heart of Lahaina, Maui. Founded in 2014, Koholā specializes in pale ales and lagers.
“We’re excited about helping Koholā recover and expand its presence to the rest of the state and beyond,” said Julie and Greg Brown. “Our decades of experience doing business on the islands will ensure the company can truly scale.”
Koholā will start brewing beer in the next two weeks and prepare the taproom to welcome guests once again. The company is targeting a reopening in approximately three weeks. The timing will be announced on social media and the brewery’s website.
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