On September 24th, The Independent Investor hosted a captivating session featuring Ian Paradies, the visionary founder of Engkanto Brewery. Held at Winery PH, the event drew a diverse crowd of entrepreneurs, investors, and business professionals eager to learn from Paradies’ journey.
Engkanto Brewery, a craft beer brand based in the Philippines, recently achieved several milestones on a global scale after winning the title of the world’s best-flavored honey and maple beer and five other accolades at the recently concluded World Beer Awards 2024 in the UK.
Paradies, a seasoned entrepreneur with a background in business management, shared his insights on building a successful brand in the competitive craft beer market. He recounted the challenges he faced, including the global pandemic, and how he overcame them to establish Engkanto as a leading Filipino craft brewery.
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The spark that ignited Paradies’ entrepreneurial journey began during his time as a container port terminal manager for the family business. After returning from the United States, he was first based in Indonesia overseeing the Jakarta operations. At the prospect of being assigned to Iraq, a challenging posting, he realized it was the perfect opportunity to pursue his long-held dream of starting a craft brewery, an idea he had been discussing with his cousins.
Craft beer, a growing trend characterized by small-scale, independently owned breweries, offers a diverse range of unique and flavorful brews. Unlike mass-produced lagers, craft beers are often experimental, made in smaller batches using premium ingredients and traditional brewing methods. This focus on quality and innovation has led to a surge in popularity, as consumers seek out distinctive and artisanal beverages.
One of the key takeaways from Paradies’ talk was the importance of embracing failure and learning from mistakes. He emphasized that setbacks are a natural part of the entrepreneurial journey, and that perseverance is essential for success.
“My advice to entrepreneurs is to embrace failure because it is the best way to learn, and do not be scared to admit mistakes. Own up to it and allow others to learn from you,” he said.
Paradies lamented on his early failures in brand design, not deciding to launch his craft beer in cans – which hold beer better, and positioning Engkanto as a premium craft beer, recounting how beer should be a fun product. “Craft beer is about selling an experience, not a product,” he emphasized.
The Covid-19 pandemic, according to Paradies, proved to be a turning point for Engkanto. “The pandemic was a huge challenge to most businesses, particularly for alcoholic beverages faced with a liquor ban. It was a tough cycle,” he added.
Engkanto seized the opportunity presented by the pandemic to reinvent its brand. This strategic decision paid off handsomely, as the brewery’s rebranding efforts were recognized with international awards. At the 2023 Craft Beer Marketing Awards, Engkanto’s innovative designs and brand concept earned prestigious accolades, including a Platinum Crushie for Best Bottle Design in the Asia Pacific region and the coveted Global Crushie for Best Creative Branding and Best Brewery Rebrand.
Paradies also discussed the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the Philippine market. He highlighted the growing demand for craft beer among Filipino consumers and the potential for local brands to compete on a global scale. According to Paradies, the market size for craft beer in the Philippines is just 1% or less of the total pie, citing the enormous potential for growth. On top of this is the tendency for the Philippines’ young population to try new things.
What makes Engkanto beer unique? Paradies claims it is the use of local ingredients.
“The true definition of a craft beer is incorporating natural ingredients like fruit, chocolate, or coffee. This is what makes Engkanto different – we stick to all natural ingredients when making beer,” he said.
Paradies maintains his vision for the future is to continue to focus on the Philippine market. “In the next 5 years, we want to grow our market share, open our own retail outlets, and focus on direct to consumer to control the experience, and manage margins. This is a direction that has worked in developed markets,” said Paradies.
The event concluded with an engaging open forum, where attendees had the opportunity to ask probing questions and share their own experiences. Paradies’ insightful responses and infectious enthusiasm left an impression on the audience.
Overall, SESSIONS featuring Ian Paradies was a resounding success. It provided valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and highlighted the potential of Filipino businesses to make a global impact. His ability to overcome challenges, innovate, and remain true to his vision has solidified Engkanto Brewery’s position as a leading Filipino craft beer brand. By embracing failure and learning from mistakes, entrepreneurs can pave the way for their own success.
Several audience members expressed their gratitude to Paradies, summed up in one remark: “Thank you so much for a very inspiring talk, and kudos to you for bringing up the Filipino brand internationally.”
The Independent Investor would like to express its sincere gratitude to the generous sponsors who made this event possible: Winery PH (venue partner), SGV & Co., Engkanto Brewery, Northern Star Energy Corp., Jabroni’s Pizza (Silver sponsors), and Cocopan (Donor).
Look ahead to future SESSIONS events for similar inspiring talks.