Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Graeme Macaloney, President, and CEO of Macaloney Brewers & Distillers Ltd., located in Saanich, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We're Canada's leading single malt whisky distillery, planning to show the world that our 'Canadian Best' and 'Worlds Best' (World Whiskies Awards, UK) Macaloney's whiskies are better than Scotch, Irish, and American whiskies.

We're also a craft brewery. Our Twa Dogs (Scots for 'Two dogs') and whiskies use Canadian barley and local ingredients such as lavender or fruit for our beers and peat for some of our whiskies.

Tell us about yourself

As a wee lad back in Scotland, I was inspired to study fermentation at university after a summer student job at a whisky factory. With a Ph.D. in fermentation and an engineering degree in biochemical engineering, I aspired to create the best whiskies in the world here in Victoria, BC. To do this, I recruited Master Distiller Mike Nicolson, who worked in 18 Scotch distilleries, and legendary whisky guru the late, great Dr. Jim Swan to design and distill our whisky-making process. As our 'Whiskymaker,' it is my pleasure and joy to select and track the maturation of our whiskies in many different oak casks (ex-Bourbon, Oloroso, PX, red wine, Moscatel and sauternes white wine, virgin American, etc., then design our signature expressions from these.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

On the whisky side, it has been working with legends in the Scotch industry to make Canadian single malt whiskies that won 'Canadian Best' and 'Worlds Best' at the World Whiskies Awards, where they compete with and beat the best whiskies that Scotland, Ireland, America, and Japan produce!

I am also very proud of the fact that we've accomplished this 'by Canadians for Canadians' because we figured out how to do crowdfunding before it was accepted in Canada and have over 700 Canadian whisky enthusiast investors from coast-to-coast. Continuing this innovation, we've just launched what we believe is Canada's first every 'whisky for life' preferred ownership program that gives annual dividends of whisky for life. This and our cask ownership program allow more Canadians to participate in our success story and the joys of single malt whisky appreciation.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Whisky takes time to mature - so we've had to accumulate over $11 million worth of maturing stocks while we prepare to sell our whiskies into global markets. Having recently launched in the USA, UK, and EU, with Asia to follow, it takes a lot of work to plan, register, distribute, market, and sell our whiskies into different markets, each with its own unique requirements.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Only do something that you're passionate about - as it will be time-consuming and demand much of your life's energy!
  2. Research, plan, and verify with sector-experienced players that your business idea has true demand and will lead to a rewarding and profitable outcome (if you can't break even, then you risk losing all of your and others' savings).
  3. Figure out how to finance your business without giving up control to financing vultures who want control. We gave up the majority of the ownership to ensure a fair return to our investors but retained voting control because our Board and Management are as best qualified to guide us to success!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

To try our World Whiskies Awards winning single malt, triple distilled pot still, and peated whiskies, check out our online shop (https://victoriacaledonian.com/product-category/whisky/) with free delivery for two bottles or more anywhere in Canada.
If you wish to find out more about our 'Whisky for Life' preferred ownership program, drop me an email at Graeme@MacaloneyDistillers.com, and I'll be happy to send you our package OR sign up for our show and tell whisky tasting before the 14th of June deadline at: https://victoriacaledonian.com/shop/pref-share-tasting/.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://victoriacaledonian.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mcaledonian/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcaledoniandistillery/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vcaledonian
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/macaloney-brewers-distillers-ltd/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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