The inspiration of entrepreneur Tomás Olavarría was born on a trip to Germany that allowed him to dream of making his own beer and creating his company with a social and sustainable focus. From the commune of Quilpué and in a pot, he prepared his first 100% artisanal beverage. “I took off and then I was lucky that a relative lent me his 20-liter brewery, people liked it and we haven’t stopped growing,” says the owner of Cervecería Keyer.
Today, the entrepreneur celebrates an unexpected milestone: he begins to sell his craft beers in more than five Jumbo stores in the Valparaíso Region and soon in the Metropolitan Region.
This is possible thanks to a new alliance between Cencosud and Fundación Luksic that invites winners of the Impulso Chileno program from the Foundation to join the Our Producers initiative, to be accompanied and advised in technical and commercial areas, with the aim of entering Cencosud supermarkets.
Part of the growth experienced by Cervecería Keyer has been thanks to the Impulso Chileno contest, where it received financing and mentorship that allowed it to boost its business. Currently, it produces more than 18 thousand liters of craft beer per month and offers different varieties of beer: American Amber Ale, Dark Lager, German Pilsner, and West Coast IPA.
A boost to national entrepreneurship
To celebrate Entrepreneurship Month, the signing of this new alliance took place where the products of Cervecería Keyer and Alun Gluten Free, another of the winning ventures of Impulso Chileno, were presented, which, thanks to this project, also enters different Jumbo stores in Santiago.
“Supporting small producers is part of the Company’s DNA. Cencosud seeks to contribute by enabling the sale of their products in supermarkets and accompanying them continuously as they enhance their value proposition with differentiated and high-quality products. The ‘Our Producers’ program currently has XX suppliers of typical and representative products from different areas of the country, and this new alliance with Fundación Luksic will allow us to continue expanding the initiative,” said Veronica Alcaíno, Business Manager of Cencosud Supermarkets’ SMEs.
“We are always looking for ways to continue supporting entrepreneurs from our programs with concrete opportunities, and we are very happy to be able to make this alliance so that these innovative products can be known by thousands of people. This collaboration is very virtuous, as it will allow them to increase their sales and boost their growth,” said Cristián Schalper, Director of Entrepreneurship at Fundación Luksic.
For Tomás Olavarría and Claudia Montecinos, owner of Alun Gluten Free, this step means a new boost and growth. “Entering Jumbo not only means a tremendous showcase and sale, but also a badge of quality, that we are doing things right, and that we are professionals,” they explained.
Their products are available on their websites www.keyer.cl and www.alunglutenfree.cl and soon on all Cencosud digital channels.
