GBEA winner – Employer of Choice Award – Blackman’s Brewery

Renn and Jess Blackman, the husband-and-wife team behind independent brewery Blackman’s Brewery, believe that without good people, there would be no good beer.

Over the past decade, the duo has assembled a highly skilled team who work hard, love what they do and have fun together while they’re doing it.

Impressed with the business’s commitment to cultivating an uplifting work environment and nurturing its crew, the judges have awarded Blackman’s Brewery with the Employer of Choice Award, sponsored by the City of Greater Geelong.

The award – a brand-new category this year – recognises a business that strives to create a workplace that maximises the full potential of its people by providing opportunities to grow and advance them both personally and professionally.

“The judges were particularly impressed with their focus on creating a supportive work environment with high staff morale and retention – with comprehensive training, professional development opportunities and benefits that even include rewarding staff longevity with travel to international beer destinations,” judge Aaron De Wit said.

This year, Blackman’s Brewery was also a finalist in the Retail, Advanced Manufacturing, Hospitality and Medium to Large Business award categories.

Established in Torquay in 2015, Blackman’s Brewery boasts an extensive line-up of craft beers, designed to cater to the broad tastes of its customers and made using the best quality ingredients the team can get their hands on.

This dedication to quality has earned the brewery multiple awards for its brews on both a national and international level, including the prized title of Champion Small Australian Brewery at the 2019 Australian International Beer Awards.

Despite the ongoing tough conditions faced by both the hospitality and craft beer industries, Blackman’s Brewery has enjoyed considerable growth over the past five years, opening additional venues in Ocean Grove in 2019 and Grovedale in 2021.

In recent years, the business has also rapidly built a reputation for hosting unique and community-focused events across each of its three venues, with activities ranging from beer festivals and outdoor cinema nights to wood chopping championships.

This year’s judging panel praised the craft beer operation for this agility and innovation, which has allowed the business to continually expand its influence within the industry and solidify its relationship with the local community it serves.

“Thanks to their forward-thinking approach, operational effectiveness and adaptability, Blackman’s Brewery has demonstrated remarkable growth and a strong market presence at a time that is challenging for many in the Australian craft beer industry,” judge Aaron De Wit said.

“With their commitment to sustainable local production and innovation at their Torquay and Grovedale venues, their ongoing success is well-deserved.”

To find out more, head to Blackman’s Brewery

Sponsored by The City of Greater Geelong.

The City of Greater Geelong has been a dedicated sponsor of the Geelong Business Excellence Awards for 15 consecutive years.

This year it returns as the sponsor for the 2024 Employer of Choice Award, a brand-new award category.

The city is committed to helping businesses in the region to grow and thrive by offering an array of invaluable resources.

These include delivering training programs, events and networking opportunities that support business growth and upskill the region’s workforce; supplying local economic insights to help with informed decisions; and identifying available grants and funding opportunities.

The city recognises the pivotal role the success of local business plays in both driving the region’s economy forward and delivering Greater Geelong’s community-led vision for a clever and creative future.

Comprising about 97 per cent of the region’s businesses, there are more than 21,500 small businesses in Greater Geelong, which are estimated to generate around $9 billion in annual revenue and employ the majority of the region’s 144,000-strong workforce.

The city offers its congratulations to all of the amazing 2024 Geelong Business Excellence Award finalists.

City of Greater Geelong Business