Slow food firm The Brinery doubles sales, triples staff in Ann Arbor

Slow food firm The Brinery is growing fast in Ann Arbor via sales of its fermented vegetables and an expansion of its small staff. The Brinery specializes in making sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles and tempeh. The company's founder has been making them from his home for years and is now looking for a commercial space to begin producing his wares en masse. "I was looking for something to do that was artisan-related and entrepreneurial," says David Klingenberger, owner of The Brinery. "It's a niche. I use all Michigan-made ingredients and I have been able to make a go of it." The Brinery is now the official sauerkraut provider for Zingerman's and has lined up a customer base of 45 grocery stores and restaurants in Michigan. That has allowed Klingenberger to hire three people over the last year and begin looking for a permanent place to do business. "We have grown by leaps and bounds," Klingenberger says. "We have doubled our sales in every year of our existence." Source: David Klingenberger, owner of The Brinery Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.