Small Business Success Story: Ogden’s Own

As the Covid-19 pandemic brought the food and beverage industry to its knees in the Spring of 2020, Ogden’s Own — Utah’s largest independently owned distillery — was cutting the ribbon on its spacious new headquarters in the historic Ogden stockyard area off 24th Street.

With most distributors — state liquor stores, restaurants and bars — temporarily closed or operating well below capacity at the time, the opening date would seem ill-fated. As it turned out, the timing was a godsend, says CEO Steve Conlin.

Supporting the Community through the Pandemic

The larger production facility allowed the company to step up production of its hand sanitizer, having become one of the nation’s first distilleries to shift operations to help meet the pandemic shortage.

Ogden’s Own produced and distributed the sanitizer to first responders, government employees, and other critical entities, and donated nearly 2,000 gallons to the Navajo Nation. All told, the company pumped out 30,000 gallons of hand sanitizer — labeled with its iconic “Five Wives” branding — in 2020.

The distillery has also been an important player in supporting the local bar and restaurant community though the pandemic. As stateside directives closed bars and in-person dining, Ogden’s Own bought up and gave away $10,000 in gift cards to local establishments. The initiative provided a much-needed capital injection to bars and restaurants, while also encouraging support through the gift card giveaway.

Ogden’s Own committed all of its March and April 2020 profits to Utah’s bar and restaurant workers, partnering with the Salt Lake Downtown Alliance and Ogden Downtown Alliance to distribute the funds.

Entering a Growth Phase

With sanitizer now widely available in the market and bars and restaurants rebounding, Ogden’s Own has redirected all of its production efforts back into craft spirits, with an eye on future growth.

“Our goal for 2022 is dramatic expansion,” Conlin says.

The company has been averaging 17-20% growth per year, and it doubled its workforce from seven to 15 over the last year.

Adding to its repertoire of products — including Five Wives Vodka, Porter’s Whiskey, Madam Pattirini, and Underground Herbal Spirit — Ogden’s Own recently introduced six new canned cocktails that pair whiskey with flavors including huckleberry, lemonade, peach and Moscow mule.

At the end of October, the distillery will open a bar where guests can stop to sample Ogden’s Own products on site. The gathering space features 30-foot windows, marble countertops, and a vintage bar from the Walker Mansion.

“The bar is a place to start an evening, where you can dress up a little bit,” Conlin says. “It’s a stunning space with a unique old and modern feel.”

As part of the growth phase, founders Tim Smith and Conlin brought on Mark Fine, a veteran of the wine and spirits industry, earlier this year as president and general manager to help take operations to the next level.

Distinguishing the Product

When Smith first approached Conlin about starting a distillery, neither of them knew much about the liquor business apart from Smith’s home brewing hobby and Conlin’s occasional visits to bars. They joined with six other investors to launch Ogden’s Own in 2009.

Through trial and error, the entrepreneurs have found their niche by spotting industry trends and infusing popular flavor profiles with a unique twist. When peanut butter whiskey gained popularity a few years ago, the distillery made its own version that incorporated a hint of chocolate. They also tweaked fireball whiskey with great success, creating a drink that tastes more like a cinnamon roll than the traditional red-hot-candy taste.

“We look at national trends and make them our own with an homage to where the consumer flavor profile seems to be,” Conlin says.

Beyond the company’s unique product line, building relationships with the community and with distributors has been key to distinguishing the Ogden-made spirts from the tens of thousands of spirits products on the market. 

“If you don’t have relationships, distributors don’t care about your product,” Conlin says. “You have to get out and make relationships and show why your products are unique.”

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