On the Friday leading into Memorial Day weekend, Kiki Vodka debuted in nine state stores as part of the Liquor Control Board’s program to promote wines and spirits produced in Pennsylvania.

It was Kiki’s first direct-to-consumer sales opportunity since the Hatfield-based start-up began producing vodka in June 2016, writes Diane Mastrull at philly.com.

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As of June 18, Pennsylvania had 85 active limited distilleries, according to the LCB website. That is up from seven in 2012, the first year limited distillery licenses were available in Pennsylvania, and 21 in 2014.

“If someone wants to start a distillery in a place like Hatfield and they have aspirations of making a living and paying a few other people, that’s doable,” said Andrew Auwerda, president and cofounder of Philadelphia Distilling, makers of Bluecoat Gin and the first craft distillery to open in Pennsylvania since Prohibition.  “When they start to have greater goals — statewide, or out of state, or nationally — it’s a completely different ballgame in terms of the hurdles and challenges. … It’s just a huge hurdle to get an out-of-state distributor interested in your product.”

To read the full story, click here.

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