By Casey Neill
Small Business Award
Sponsor: Ashfords
Winner: South East Brewing Company
Nominees: Dandenong Market, Dandenong Pavilion, Genesis Fitness, South East Brewing Company, Uncle’s Smallgoods
Brothers Callum and Nat Reeve were overwhelmed when they walked on stage to accept an award for their burgeoning brewery.
South East Brewing Company in Dandenong South won the Small Business award at the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Awards at Atura Hotel on Wednesday 22 November.
“This is an amazing honour to be nominated with businesses I respect so much,” Callum said.
“We grew up going to the Dandenong Market. It’s such an exciting place.”
Nat interrupted: “I lost Darth Vadar at Dandenong Market.”
To laughter, Callum clarified the local icon held “some sad memories, too”.
“It’s great to be part of this Dandenong business community,” he said.
“I’m so proud to have won this. It’s a really great honour.”
Greg Cusack from Ashfords presented the award, available to companies with a turnover less than $10 million and less than 25 staff.
Callum and Nat first tried their hand at making cider for a friend’s wedding in 2012, using apples from an Officer orchard.
Nat studied science at university and was a passionate home brewer. Callum had a background in wine.
“I’d seen the growth in cider in the couple of years leading up to when we started. We knew that this was a really good product,” Callum said.
They turned their hands to the “really hoppy, American-style beers” they couldn’t find in Australia through a sub-lease at another brewery, and last year set up their own.
An artist who works on computer games designed the South East Brewing Company packaging.
“We always try and stay a step ahead of the market and really look at what people love at the moment and what are they going to love next,” Callum said.
“You really have to delight your customers and I think that’s what we do.”
They’re exporting beer to Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore and are now tapping into China.
The company has 10 employees and is continuing to grow.
It’s about to welcome its own canning line to help with production efficiency, removing the need to bring in a mobile canning line each time a brew was ready.
