Spotlight on New Helvetia Brewing Company
In celebration of National Co-op Month, New Helvetia Brewing demonstrated its co-op enthusiasm by partnering with the California Center for Cooperative Development (CCCD) in hosting a Co-op Trivia Night at their cooperative. Participants challenged themselves on their co-op knowledge while enjoying a pint (or two) of delicious beer and kombucha.
It is fitting that we welcome this new cooperative into the California Co-op Community by sharing their story and their journey to cooperative ownership.
New Helvetia Brewing Company is a locally-owned and community-driven brewery in Sacramento. The name pays homage to "Nueva Helvecia Colonia", the original name of the settlement from the Mexican government that encompasses the area now known as downtown Sacramento.
New Helvetia is also an ode to the brewery's deep Sacramento roots. Launched in 2012 to revive the legacy of the Buffalo Brewing Company, a historic Sacramento brewery established in the 1890's, New Helvetia has since become a beloved spot in the community.
In 2019, brewery owner David Gull began discussing the idea of selling the brewery to employees and converting it to cooperative ownership. Unfortunately, those discussions were stymied by the pandemic in 2020. Like many other small businesses, New Helvetia was hit hard by the pandemic. The brewery survived, but struggled. The future seemed bleak and their options limited, but owner David Gull realized that renewing his pursuit of cooperative ownership presented an opportunity to save the business.
In 2021, discussions for co-op ownership renewed, this time with a new cohort of employees and community members who were energized and motivated to turn the idea into reality. Finally, in December 2023, New Helvetia announced their plans to transition to becoming a multi-stakeholder cooperative consisting of community (consumer) and employee members.
Similar to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, customers that patronize and support the business have the opportunity to own a piece of the business. By buying a membership for $300, customers gain an ownership share in the business as well as the ability to vote on major decisions for the business. Consumer members partner with New Helvetia member employees, who are empowered to make decisions on the day-to-day business operations.
New Helvetia is Sacramento’s first and only cooperatively owned brewery. Membership currently consists of 12 employees and 300 community members, with the goal of reaching a total membership of 1,000 by year-end to commemorate the launch of the cooperative.
We encourage cooperators to help New Helvetia reach their goal – here is a link to learn more about how you become a member of New Helvetia Brewing Cooperative.
CCCD says cheers to one and all for another memorable Co-op Month!
