What Inc. 5000 Success Taught Island Brands' Scott Hansen About Scaling a Beverage Company

When Island Brands’ Scott Hansen received the call that his Southeast-based beverage company had landed on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America, it was validation of everything he and co-founder Brandon Perry had built since that fateful sailing trip to Cuba in 2016. Ranked at #2,341 with a staggering 250% three-year growth rate, Island Brands USA had proven that you don’t need to own a single brewery to become one of the most successful beer companies of the 21st century.

But the Inc. 5000 recognition wasn’t just a trophy for Hansen’s South Carolina office. It was a masterclass in what it takes to scale a consumer beverage brand in one of the most competitive industries on the planet, lessons that resonate across the Southeast business community, from Miami startups to Tampa Bay entrepreneurs.

Lesson 1: You Don’t Need to Own the Means of Production

One of the most counterintuitive strategies behind Island Brands’ rapid ascent is that Hansen and Perry never built or bought a brewery. Instead, they leveraged a white-label manufacturing approach, partnering with established production facilities to brew their beer while they focused on what they did best: building a brand.

“We really developed the look and the feel of the brand from a marketing perspective first,” Hansen has explained. “And then we developed the juice inside.”

This asset-light model gave Island Brands’ Scott Hansen the flexibility to scale without the capital-intensive burden of brewery ownership. While craft brewers were pouring millions into fermentation tanks and taprooms, Island Brands was pouring resources into marketing, distribution partnerships, and product development.

For Southeast entrepreneurs watching from the sidelines, the lesson is clear: sometimes the fastest path to growth isn’t about building infrastructure, it’s about building relationships with those who already have it.

Lesson 2: Find the Gap Nobody’s Fighting For

The American beer market is a battlefield dominated by giants. Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors, and Constellation Brands control massive market share, while thousands of craft breweries fight for the attention of discerning drinkers willing to pay premium prices for artisanal brews.

Island Brands’ Scott Hansen identified a gap that neither side was addressing: consumers who wanted better quality than mass-market lagers but weren’t interested in the pretension of craft beer culture.

“We’re not bespoke or artisanal, but not macro either,” Hansen has said, describing his positioning.

The domestic U.S. market consumes approximately $6 billion in Mexican import beers annually. Hansen saw an opportunity to offer high-quality, beach-lifestyle beer at competitive prices—capturing consumers who wanted the laid-back vibe of a Corona without the import premium.

Island Coastal Lager, brewed according to the German Reinheitsgebot purity law using only malt, hops, yeast, and water (no corn or rice fillers), became the flagship product that embodied this middle-market strategy. From Charleston to Tampa to Miami, consumers across the Southeast responded.

Lesson 3: Pivot Fast, Pivot Decisively

The original vision for Island Brands’ Scott Hansen had nothing to do with American grocery stores. After discovering the limited, poor-quality beer options during his sailing trip to Cuba, Hansen initially planned to export craft beer to the island nation. He incorporated the company, printed 300,000 cans, and began navigating the complex regulatory landscape.

Then the U.S. State Department froze his bank accounts and sent cease-and-desist letters. When American policy toward Cuba shifted in 2017, Hansen’s export dreams collapsed entirely.

Many entrepreneurs would have walked away. Hansen pivoted instead.

“I simply pivoted and called some major retailers in the Southeast and told them the story,” Hansen recalls. “Publix was willing to take the product into 12 stores in South Carolina.”

Six months later, Publix called back. They’d never seen a product sell so quickly. Could Island Brands supply all 1,200 stores across the Southeast?

Hansen said yes—then hung up the phone and figured out how to make it happen. That willingness to commit first and solve problems second is a hallmark of the entrepreneurial mindset that carried Island Brands’ Scott Hansen to the Inc. 5000.

For Florida entrepreneurs, the Publix connection is particularly relevant—the Lakeland-based grocery giant dominates the Southeast market and remains one of the most sought-after retail partnerships for emerging consumer brands.

Lesson 4: Crowdfunding Builds More Than Capital

When Island Brands needed to scale production to meet Publix’s demand, Hansen and Perry turned to crowdfunding. The results exceeded every expectation: over $1 million raised in just 30 days, making it one of the most successful beverage crowdfunding campaigns in U.S. history.

But the real value wasn’t just the capital. Every investor became an evangelist. Every dollar pledged came with a personal stake in the brand’s success.

“When you crowdfund, you’re not just raising money, you’re building an army of people who want you to win,” Hansen has noted.

The company eventually raised over $5 million through various crowdfunding rounds, proving that for consumer brands with strong stories, the crowd can be more powerful than traditional venture capital, a strategy increasingly adopted by Florida startups looking to bootstrap growth.

Lesson 5: Environmental Values Can Be Business Strategy

Island Brands’ commitment to environmental causes through their 1% for the Planet partnership isn’t just corporate social responsibility, it’s embedded in the brand DNA. One percent of revenue goes directly to environmental nonprofits, aligning the company with the outdoor lifestyle (surfing, sailing, fishing, rafting) that their marketing celebrates.

For Island Brands’ Scott Hansen, this wasn’t a calculated marketing move. It was authentic to who he is as a coastal resident who experienced his epiphany on the open ocean sailing to Cuba.

But authenticity resonates with consumers, particularly millennials and Gen Z buyers who increasingly make purchasing decisions based on brand values. The “Good Vibes” program that supports Southeast charities creates community connections that no advertising budget can buy, especially valuable in Florida’s environmentally conscious coastal markets.

Lesson 6: Distribution is the Real Game

Perhaps the most sobering lesson from Island Brands’ journey is understanding the unique challenges of the American alcohol industry. The three-tier distribution system, mandated by the 21st Amendment following Prohibition, requires beverage companies to navigate a complex web of distributors and retailers before their product reaches consumers.

“You’re paying taxes at every tier,” Hansen has explained. “It’s a constitutional challenge that most consumer goods companies never face.”

Island Brands’ Scott Hansen invested heavily in distribution relationships, ultimately securing placement not just in major grocery chains like Publix, Kroger, and Walmart, but also landing a fleet-wide contract with Carnival Cruise Lines, the Miami-based cruise giant that serves millions of passengers annually. Today, Island Brands products are available in twelve Southeastern states and several international markets.

The Inc. 5000 ranking, and the 250% growth rate it recognized, was built on this distribution foundation.

The Southeast Business Advantage

Throughout Island Brands’ growth story, the Southeast has remained central to the company’s identity and strategy. The brand’s aesthetic draws from coastal beach culture that resonates from the Carolinas through the Florida Keys. The company’s initial traction came from Southeast retailers, and its environmental partnerships focus on regional conservation efforts.

“You might as well take a chance on doing what you love,” Hansen has said, reflecting on his entrepreneurial philosophy.

For Southeast entrepreneurs watching Island Brands’ trajectory from regional startup to Inc. 5000 honoree, Hansen’s journey offers a blueprint: find your market gap, build your brand before your infrastructure, pivot decisively when circumstances demand it, and never forget that distribution is the real competitive battleground.

The Inc. 5000 plaque is nice. But for Island Brands’ Scott Hansen, the real prize is building a company that proves Southeast entrepreneurs can compete with anyone, even Big Beer.

Learn more about Scott Hansen’s entrepreneurial journey and current ventures at scott-hansen.com.