Isaac Showaki looks in on a new batch of beer at Octopi Brewing.

Isaac Showaki-President and Owner of Octopi Brewing

Today’s beverage market is flourishing; however, many companies are hesitant to build their own production facility. It requires a substantial investment, manpower and production adaptability – all hard to come by. Contract packaging, or co-packing, is a viable production option for those looking to expand their beverage brand.

The co-packing industry has exploded in recent years and is anticipated to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Transparency Market Research (TRM) recently published a report suggesting that the global alcohol packaging market is expected to reach $63.8 billion in valuation by 2027.

At Octopi, we serve as a one-stop shop for both established beverage companies looking to expand volume, and new brands considering entering the market. Our system can handle just about anything, from a classic Czech-style Pilsner to cold-pressed coffee and everything in between. We manage beverage production for our clients so they can focus on innovation, marketing and product sales.

Within the last decade, we saw the craft-beer boom, the seltzer craze and now a shift to low abv beverages. As seltzers and other alternatives to beer have increased in demand, beer has lost its stranglehold in the canned beverage industry. We were quick to embrace this change, and it paid off. In fact, only 20 percent of the beverages Octopi currently produces are beer. This pivot has allowed us to help our customers expand and diversify production.

The beverage industry is reinventing itself every day. As a contract manufacturer, we anticipate these changes and adapt our services. Octopi is fortunate to be in Wisconsin, a hub for both manufacturing and brewing. This allows us to recruit top-area talent and have state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities. Although our services have expanded beyond manufacturing to design, recipes, consulting and brand development, our goal has remained the same – to be the gold standard in beverage co-packing.