The parent company behind Green River Distilling, or Lofted Spirits, announced on Wednesday that it broke ground on a new facility to increase its production capacity to an annual output of 35 million bottles. The project should be fully operational in the early second quarter of 2026.
“This expansion is about building long-term capability for our customers — more capacity, more speed and even more flexibility — while maintaining the highest quality standard in the industry,” said Lofted Spirits CEO Mark Erwin in a statement. “Our commitment to our customers is unwavering. We were built as a contract manufacturing facility and we continue to demonstrate our dedication to supporting the ambitions of our customers as a grain-to-glass one-stop shop for all of their production and bottling needs. While many organizations are pulling back, we are investing to meet the moment and help our customers grow.”
For the expansion project, the company behind Bardstown Bourbon shared that a high-speed, small-format line is being built. The new facilities will enable Lofted Spirits to offer bottlings in sizes ranging from 50ml to 1.75 liters. At present, 80 team members work at Lofted Spirits’ bottling facilities. The company shared that it intends to add 5 to 6 more positions.
Lofted Spirits shared that it is the only independent copacker in the state of Kentucky to meet the international quality and food safety systems. Apparently, only a small group of companies meets all the requirements throughout the globe.
Though 2025 presented plenty of curveballs for whiskey brands, it appeared that Green River made positive strides. In June, the brand opened up a tasting room at Whiskey Row in Kentucky. The space included a hidden speakeasy and features tastings with candy bar pairings. The brand’s parent company continues its lucky streak with the new project, especially amid reports of an industry beleaguered by closures, strikes, trade wars, and shifting consumer preferences.
“With this expansion, we are one of the few independent co-packers that handle large format, large volume orders with precision, while maintaining the care and attention to detail that allows us to produce high-touch small runs,” said Lofted Spirits VP of Operations Justin Willett in a statement. “While the equipment is important, the team’s integrity and deep bench of expertise is what truly delivers for our customers.”
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