Updated: Mother’s Brewing Co. changes ownership

“We brew love.”

That company marketing slogan was unveiled by Mother’s Brewing Co. founder Jeff Schrag in May 2011, when a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the brewery’s opening.

Now, 12 years later, the company is under new ownership.

The slogan was again stated on May 3, this time by Jeff Seifried, who purchased the business with his wife, Lindsay, from Jeff and Mary Schrag.

“Jeff and Mary built craft beer in Springfield,” Jeff Seifried said at a news conference held at Mother’s Brewing Co.’s taproom and headquarters, 215 S. Grant Ave. “Lindsay and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the brand.”

Speaking to the crowd, Jeff Schrag held back tears as he signaled plans to soon retire from the beer industry.

“It has been an incredible journey,” he said. “We’re really grateful to the Springfield community.”

Acquisition and expansion
Seifried declined to disclose the financial terms of the acquisition, which closed May 2.

He said the Schrags maintain an undisclosed minority stake in Mother’s Brewing Co. Jeff Schrag is slated to stay involved with the business in the near term to assist with sales and operations as he transitions to retirement from the beer industry, company officials say.

Changes on the way at Mother’s Brewing Co. include plans for expanded distribution and outdoor service for customers at the Springfield headquarters, the addition of food options and the growth of the Barrel House indoor seating area to be able to serve as an event venue.

“The game has changed dramatically over the last 10 years,” Seifried said.

When it opened, Mother’s Brewing Co. was only the second brewery in town, after Springfield Brewing Co. That number has grown to around a dozen since, and some local breweries have opened and closed within that time.

The year Mother’s opened, the United States had 2,252 breweries, and that number grew to 9,709 in 2022, according to Brewers Association data. The Brewers Association defines a craft brewery as small, with annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less, and independent, with less than 25% of the brewery owned or controlled by a beverage alcohol industry member outside of craft brewing. Brewers Association data show 9,552 craft breweries in 2022, up 3.7% year over year. Only 157 on the list are not craft breweries, and that number was down by 9.8% from 2021. Retail sales of craft beer companies rose by 5% in 2022 to $28.4 billion, according to the association. That accounts for around 24% of the $115 billion U.S. beer market.

Mother’s Brewing Co., which operates in Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas, ranked No. 1 on Springfield Business Journal’s list this year of the area’s largest breweries. The company reported 8,039 barrels produced in 2022, a 0.4% increase from 2021, and 22 employees. By comparison, No. 2 Springfield Brewing Co. had 2,500 barrels produced, a 14% increase, and 80 employees.

Seifried said the 40,000-square-foot Mother’s Brewing Co. facility, located in a former Butternut bread bakery, has the capacity for expansion.

“We can handle it here,” he said, pointing to plans to expand the company’s distribution reach to other Midwest states.

Mother’s Brewing Co.’s products are carried by 15 distributors to its three-state territory, which includes Kansas City and St. Louis, and sold to “countless restaurants, bars and retail stores,” such as Price Cutter, Walmart and Whole Foods, said Michala Brunette, Mother’s marketing coordinator. The company also has penned baseball contracts to sell beer at the stadium to St. Louis and Springfield Cardinals fans, Brunette said.

History and legacy
Seifried brings years of leadership experience to his new role as co-owner of Mother’s Brewing Co.

His past jobs include time as president and CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau and Connell Insurance, which is now Higginbotham Insurance Agency Inc. He also worked at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce for nearly eight years as manager of regional development, and he had a three-year stint on Springfield City Council, for which he served as mayor pro tem.

His transition to business ownership is new as of last year, when he and his wife in October bought Rex Blackwell’s men’s clothing store Blackwells, located in the Brentwood Center North shopping center.

“Last year, Lindsay and I made the decision that we wanted to invest in Springfield,” Seifried said.

Discussions with the Schrags began several months ago, he said.

With Mother’s Brewing Co. and Blackwells now under his ownership, Seifried said his “hands are full at the moment.”

Lindsay Seifried owns a company called Talent Wellness LLC, which provides provides talent and workforce consulting and wellness and health coaching, and has experience in leadership roles at the Greater Ozarks Centers for Advanced Professional Studies and the Springfield chamber, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Jeff Schrag, 56, spoke about his exit from Mother’s Brewing Co. during the news conference.

“For me, it just became time,” he said. “I wanted to keep it local.”

Schrag said he’ll maintain ownership in his other endeavors, including legal publication The Daily Events, Pioneer Formal Accessories, which distributes items such as cufflinks, and various real estate holdings.

Seifried said he understands the role Mother’s plays in the community.

“It’s a heavy weight,” he said. “Mother’s and Springfield go together more than any other beer brand.”