Skip to main content
Register Now for CBP Connects Portland, Maine (June 10-12, 2024)

Beer – People – Purpose: The Evolution of the Virginia Beer Company

Based in Williamsburg, the Virginia Beer Company was started by two William and Mary alumni who wanted to create a force for good in the form of a brewery. Their company slogan is ‘Beer – People – Purpose’ and they actively work with dozens of nonprofits and support charities that are close to their team and communities. They recently finished a rebrand that was over a year in the making, and includes the addition of a new flagship beer. The rebrand comes not too long after officially expanding distribution to touch every part of the state of Virginia. They truly want to be known as Virginia’s craft brewery.

In this session, we will be joined by co-founders Chris Smith and Robby Wiley to discuss their evolution, need for constant innovation, and future.

Chris and Robby met while attending The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. After several years of post-graduation corporate drudgery they took fate into their own hands by returning to their college roots and co-founding The Virginia Beer Company. Over the past seven years the brewery has become a mainstay across Virginia through steadfast dedication to their three core tenets: Beer • People • Purpose. Robby oversees sales and marketing efforts, taproom operations, and community partnerships, while Chris handles operations, finance and accounting, and export sales.