USA: Abita Beer Co. LLC sales climbed 27 percent by May 2006 to $4.9 million

Despite losing 60 percent of its New Orleans market after Hurricane Katrina, Abita Beer Co. LLC has made record sales in its 20th anniversary year, prompting company president David Blossman to announce a $3.5 million expansion to keep up with demand, New Orleans CityBusiness communicated July 03.

The expansion, which boosts the company’s production capabilities by nearly 50 percent — from 25 barrels an hour to 40 — is expected to begin some time next year, complete with a visitor’s center and French Quarter motif at the plant on Highway 36 in Abita Springs. In addition, Blossman expects to sell 60,000 31-gallon barrels of beer, an increase from 52,000 last year. That’s roughly 2 million 12-ounce bottles, Blossman said.

While the production facility emerged from Katrina unscathed, Blossman feared financial hardships might arise from his greatest market — a destroyed New Orleans. But returning locals helped Abita’s local sales climb 27 percent by May to $4.9 million. That pace is set to surpass the $9.3 million mark in sales set last year, Blossman said.

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