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New owner of Sanford Brewing outlines reopening plans for 'Brewlando'
Summary
At the March 10 Sanford City Commission meeting, owner Sharra Pathik described acquiring Sanford Brewing, rebranding as Brewlando with an 'innovation hub' in Sanford, and said the location aims to open this Saturday though alcohol service will wait pending a licensing inspection.
Sharra Pathik told the Sanford City Commission on March 10 that she recently acquired the Sanford Brewing Company and plans to relaunch the operation under the Brewlando brand, positioning the Sanford site as an "innovation hub" for recipe development and regional distribution.
Pathik said she initially stepped in to keep the brewery's employees afloat after the prior operator closed in December 2021, negotiated to use the existing license temporarily, and then decided to retain and grow the business. "No act is ever too small," Pathik said, describing the acquisition as a community-minded decision that preserved jobs.
Pathik outlined Brewlando's broader operations in Orange County, where the company manufactures wristbands and software as well as beer, and said the Sanford location will expand manufacturing and distribution into the Volusia and Brevard corridors through an existing partnership with FDC. She noted Brewlando recently supplied an IPA for Epcot's Food and Wine Festival and said the company now produces more than 20 varieties at its other facilities.
On logistics, Pathik said the Sanford site will open to the public on Saturday but "we just won't be serving alcohol when we open the doors" because of a pending "4 COP" licensing matter and a kitchen inspection the company hopes to pass. She also said Brewlando has applied for a trademark, "Sanford Suds," to tie a product line to the city.
Economic development staff introduced Pathik to the commission and commissioners congratulated the new owner. Pathik invited commissioners to a private friends-and-family reception the day before opening.
If inspections proceed as planned, Brewlando's Sanford location is expected to move from preservation to active operation this week; licensing and distribution steps described by Pathik will determine when full alcohol service begins.
