A short documentary about how 3 London Ontario breweries changed the way they do business, adapting their production lines and retail procedures to combat COVID-19.
London, Ontario is nicknamed the Forest City, but with more than 10 local brewing companies within its city limits and many more in the region, it could just as easily be called Brewery City. The birthplace of John Labatt and home to the iconic Labatt Brewery has also given birth to many new small-batch and micro-brewers who think local but sell nationwide.
In early 2020, COVID-19 brought down a hammer that shattered daily life. Overnight, small and medium-sized operations like London’s breweries were driven to the brink of extinction. Faced with shuttered brewpubs and fewer ways to reach customers, London breweries needed to adapt to survive. Home delivery and curbside pickup became the new norm. In the face of fear, uncertainty and loss, brewery employees met the challenge head-on, and the community embraced them all over again. All over social media, you see stories and posts of people proud to support local businesses, enjoying their favourite beers via delivery or pickup.
Through heartfelt interviews, we share the challenges and reality of the COVID-19 world for our small and medium brewery workers. We look behind the scenes at the struggle to keep the lights on, employees paid, and communities reached. We tell the story of these businesses, their fight for survival, and how community support helped them overcome the darkest of days.
