Andy Rieger, Co-founder of J. Rieger & Co Distillery Talks Navigating the Pandemic and Turning Their HQ Into a Full-Time Hand Sanitizer Production Facility

In episode 50 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast, I speak with Andy Rieger, the Co-founder and President of J.Rieger Co Distillery on navigating the pandemic and turning their 50,000 sqf HQ into a full-time hand sanitizer production facility.

It all started in Kansas city during 1887, only to meet an early demise in 1919 with the onset of the 18th Amendment and Federal Prohibition. 95 years later, two ambitious young KC guys refused to let Prohibition be the final fate for J. Rieger & Co.

‍In 2012 Andy Rieger, Jacob Rieger’s great-great-great grandson (and only living direct descendent at the time), and Ryan Maybee, a career bartender and restaurateur set out to resurrect this historic brand.

Together they formed a bond based on their shared vision of re-establishing not only Andy’s family legacy, but also reviving the distilling industry in Kansas City.

In 2014, Andy Rieger relaunched J. Rieger & Co., Kansas City’s first distillery since Prohibition with the release of “Rieger’s Kansas City Whiskey”, a unique style of American Whiskey that pays tribute to J. Rieger & Co.’s history.

About a month ago the distillery made a decision to fully commit its resources and time to producing, at scale, hand sanitizer for the Kansas City consumers, hospitals and overall community.

Since making the decision the company has produced and distributed over 110,000 individual bottles of hand sanitizer, that’s almost 36,000 gallons!

Personally, I am proud to be part of their efforts through a project I am involved with at Emoji My City, where we’ve created a Support KC Apparel Collection to support the service industry and its workers here in Kansas City.

Sanitizer will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and recipients will receive pickup instructions on April 25 if available. Pick-ups will occur on April 28-29 at the J. Rieger & Co. Distillery in Kansas City, Missouri.

Interview Transcript

Grant: What’s up, everybody? This is Grant at Causeartist. Welcome to another episode of the Disruptors for Good podcast. Today, we’re doing something a little different by focusing on a local Kansas City story. I’m talking to Andy Rieger, co-founder and president of J. Rieger & Co. Distillery, an iconic establishment here in Kansas City.

Andy and his team have executed an incredible project, transforming a 60,000 square foot facility into one of the most unique distilleries in the country. Watching their journey has been amazing, especially how they’ve grown the brand and built a community around this destination. However, like many others, they’ve faced tough times recently, particularly in the service industry.

I reached out to Andy to understand what the frontline looks like for a co-founder of a major company in Kansas City that employs nearly 100 people. We discussed their decision to pivot their entire operation to produce hand sanitizer for the community, hospitals, police departments, and local consumers. It’s an inspiring story of how businesses are adapting to help their communities during this crisis.

Their hand sanitizer is now available in local supermarkets, making it more accessible to people who need it. We also touched on other community initiatives they’re involved in, such as providing apparel to support service workers in Kansas City through EmojiMassCity.com.

I hope you enjoy this conversation with Andy. It’s a fascinating look at what’s happening on the ground in Kansas City and how companies are innovating to keep their workers employed and help in the recovery process. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at grant@causeartist.com. Now, let’s dive into the interview.

04:24

Grant: Usually, I like to start by asking about an individual’s journey and how they found their life’s work. So, Andy, tell us about the distillery and what led you to start it.

Andy: I was born and raised in Kansas City, but I moved to Dallas for school and then worked in private equity and investment banking. During that time, I lost my father to cancer, which changed my perspective on life and what was worth pursuing.

One of the things my dad told me was, “Whatever you do, don’t move back to Kansas City unless you have a reason.” At the time, I didn’t fully understand what he meant.

However, as I began exploring my family’s history, I realized that if I didn’t learn everything about it, the history would die. My family had a distillery that started back in 1887, but it all ended with Prohibition.

I became a bit of a family history fanatic, and during that time, some people were planning to open a restaurant in the old Rieger Hotel building in Kansas City, which my family had built.

My dad asked me to make sure someone from the Rieger family was there when the restaurant opened, and even though he passed away before it did, I made it my mission to be there.

That gesture led to the restaurant’s cocktail guy suggesting we revive the distillery. At first, I thought it was a silly idea, but over time, I realized there was potential. I helped him refine the business plan, and before I knew it, I was fully involved. We built a distribution-based business focusing on the brand rather than just an establishment.

We gathered a team of industry experts, including the former master distiller of Maker’s Mark, and launched the distillery in 2014.

12:10

Grant: Can you paint a picture of the facility? It’s not just a typical small distillery—it’s massive.

Andy: When we started, we were in a 15,000 square foot warehouse in the East Bottoms of Kansas City. This area has a rich history, and our building was originally part of a large brewery operation.

After a couple of years, we realized we needed more space, so we bought the warehouse and the adjacent 48,000 square foot historic red brick building, which had been vacant for years.

We had 60,000 square feet to work with, so we had to create something truly special to attract people to this less-known neighborhood. We developed three key aspects: first, we needed carrots—things that would draw people in, like bars, historical exhibits, and events.

Second, we focused on first impressions, ensuring that every part of the experience, from the moment people arrived, was exceptional. Finally, we wanted to create an experience that would make people want to come back, whether it was for our unique bars, the history, or the community atmosphere.

We have three distinct bar concepts within the building, each offering a different experience, from a lively bar lounge to a high-end jazz social club. We’ve also created a 20,000 square foot patio bar that preserves the original brick and cobblestone streets. The goal is for people to come down, spend several hours here, and leave feeling like they’ve experienced something truly unique.

22:27

Grant: You’ve clearly put a lot of thought into creating an extraordinary experience. But then COVID-19 hit, and you had to pivot. How did you go from distilling whiskey to producing hand sanitizer?

Andy: It started in early March when I bought some industrial spray bottles and had our production team fill them with overproof gin for sanitizing purposes. It was more of a joke at first, but then we received an email from a nursing home in Kansas City that had run out of hand sanitizer and had no leads on getting more. They asked if we could produce some for them.

At that point, we realized there was a real need, so we decided to go for it. We began producing hand sanitizer and announced it publicly. The response was overwhelming. On our first sale day, we had a two-mile-long line of cars and news helicopters circling our building. That’s when we knew this was serious.

The challenge wasn’t just making the sanitizer but scaling up production and distribution. We had to source components like hydrogen peroxide and denaturing agents, and then there was the bottling process.

We started with pitchers and funnels, which was crazy. But our team came together, and we managed to keep everyone employed while also meeting the community’s needs.

28:53

Grant: Producing hand sanitizer at scale must have been a huge shift. How difficult was it to adapt your production processes?

Andy: It was definitely a challenge. We had to source new materials and figure out how to get the liquid into the bottles efficiently. We started with pitchers and funnels because we didn’t want to invest in expensive equipment for something that might only be temporary. It was a learning process, but we managed to scale up production while keeping our costs in check.

The biggest concern now is whether we’ll be able to sustain this if larger companies decide to take back the market. But for now, we’re focused on keeping our employees working and supporting the community.

We’re also trying to encourage people to think about where their money goes when they buy products. Every dollar spent is a vote for what kind of businesses you want to see survive this crisis.

34:11

Grant: How has the community responded to your efforts? Are you hearing from other local businesses or organizations that need help?

Andy: The response has been overwhelming. We’ve received countless emails and calls from nursing homes, hospitals, and other organizations in desperate need of sanitizer.

It’s a heavy responsibility to know that we’re one of the few sources they can rely on. We’ve been doing our best to meet the demand while also keeping our business afloat.

One of the most emotional moments for me was when I saw the line of cars on our first sale day. An older man came up to me and said he needed two bottles because he was caring for his elderly mother and couldn’t find sanitizer anywhere.

I gave him the bottles, and then I walked to another car where the driver handed me $100 for one bottle, asking me to use the rest to help others. It was an incredibly moving experience that showed how much this means to people.

41:10

Grant: What do you see happening over the next few months? Do you think the distillery industry will recover?

Andy: I’m a pessimist by nature, so I’m preparing for the worst. I think it could be a long time before things return to normal, especially for the on-premise business. We might not be able to fully reopen our facility until spring 2021, depending on how the virus progresses and how comfortable people feel gathering in large groups again.

There’s also the concern of how to balance public safety with providing the experiences that people expect from us. We may need to implement new safety measures, like taking temperatures at the door or limiting the number of people allowed inside at once. It’s going to be a delicate balance, and we’ll have to see how it plays out.

47:21

Grant: Do you think there will be changes in the industry or in regulations that could help businesses like yours recover?

Andy: There’s definitely a need for changes. I’ve been in touch with Senator Roy Blunt’s team, and we’ve discussed several ideas, like making meal expenses fully deductible for businesses to encourage spending. Another issue is the need for more flexibility in regulations, especially during emergencies like this.

For example, in Missouri, we’ve been pushing to allow restaurants to sell bottled cocktails for takeout, but the There’s also a broader conversation to be had about how we treat small businesses and the need for policies that support them in times of crisis.

We’ll see what happens, but I’m hopeful that we can make some positive changes that will help businesses recover and thrive in the long term.

Conclusion

Grant: Andy, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story and insights with us. What you and your team are doing is truly inspiring, and it’s a testament to the resilience and creativity of small businesses.

We’re all rooting for you, and we’ll do our part to support you by buying your products and spreading the word. Best of luck in the coming months, and thank you again for everything you’re doing for Kansas City and beyond.

Andy: Thank you, Grant. I really appreciate it.