Two craft beer leaders join forces in innovative brewing partnership

Food & Drink

May 4

Written By Staff

Photo courtesy of Saugatuck Brewing Company

Saugatuck Brewing Company (SBC) and Grand Rapids-based Vivant Brewery & Spirits are teaming up in what they hope to be a game-changer in the craft beer industry. As the industry continues to face challenges, the two long-standing craft beer pillars in West Michigan are helping one another.

In the fall of 2025, Brewery Vivant began using the brewing operations at SBC’s facility in Douglas to help produce the beer it needed to meet its wholesale demand. The Douglas facility serves as a shared brewery for Brewery Vivant, which rents the space to brew its core beers. This partnership, known as an Alternating Proprietorship, enables both companies to maintain full creative and operational control over their respective brands and recipes, while sharing a single production facility

Scott Graham, Executive Director of the Michigan Brewers Guild, complimented the partnership, saying, "This is a smart, practical approach that allows two breweries to operate more efficiently and mutually benefit from their core strengths. Cooperation has long been a unique aspect of the brewing industry, and this is a great example of how breweries can work together to make both operations stronger and more sustainable."

By shifting a significant amount of its brewing operations to SBC’s larger facility in Douglas, Brewery Vivant can produce more beer without the need for costly facility expansions and upkeep. Meanwhile, SBC optimizes its existing infrastructure to maximize brewing capacity. The shared resources translate into significant cost savings for both breweries.

“This partnership represents a significant step forward for both organizations and our employees, as well as for the broader craft beer community in West Michigan,” said Keith Henry, CEO of Saugatuck Brewing Company. “We look forward to the opportunities this collaboration will create to further strengthen and support independent craft breweries well into the future.”

As the craft beer industry grapples with economic pressures, changing consumer preferences, and supply chain disruptions, this collaboration represents a proactive approach for sustainability and growth. Both organizations see this as a precedent for how independent breweries can work together to navigate industry challenges while preserving their individuality. One of the defining characteristics of Michigan’s craft beer community is its strong culture of mutual support and collective growth.

Both companies also continue to drive innovation in the marketplace. This month, SBC is set to release a ready-to-drink canned cocktail, “Howdy Days,” while Brewery Vivant plans to launch new offerings this summer, including its Beer City Light lager, which will debut at the Fred Meijer Gardens concert series in May.

“Most industries do not share knowledge and resources like the brewing industry does,” said Jason Spaulding Owner and Founder of Brewery Vivant. “The comradery and respect we have for each other helps us find innovative ways to band together. We are leading the way by showing how arrangements like this will ensure a bright future for this whole industry which has become so important to the State of Michigan and its economy”

West Michigan Newspop Digital Partners