30-Year Manufacturing Veteran Finds ‘Happy Place’ With Brewpub Franchise, Celebrates One Year of Voodoo Brewing Co. Ownership

With about three decades of experience in the manufacturing industry, including time spent building the state’s largest independent manufacturing company serving his industry, Roland Rios was looking for his next venture. An investment with Voodoo Brewing Co., the growing brewpub franchise, proved to be just the ticket.

“I wanted to create a third happy place for myself, and I accomplished just that with the brewpub,” Rios said. “I can leave one happy place (my work) to go to another (the pub) before going to my main happy place (my house). And I get to repeat that every day.”

After recently celebrating the pub’s first “birthday,” Rios said it has become a staple in the community and an incredibly fulfilling opportunity for him.

“I enjoy the vibes of the craft brew industry,” he said. “The people that come to the pub are mostly people who live around us — people from the neighborhood. We get to know them, and we see them as friends. We see the brewpub as the newest neighbor in the community.”

Rios took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise to discuss all of this and more. Here’s what he had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Roland Rios: I have an engineering background; I worked in paper manufacturing with a couple of large, publicly traded companies for about 20 years. I then decided to venture off and create my own manufacturing company, which is now the largest private company in the state of Texas providing the product that we do.

I continue to do that, but I wanted to have something fun to do after work. My goal was to open a bar, but since I have no experience in the hospitality business, I decided to reach out to a franchise and see if they could help me out.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Rios: I knew franchising would give me the support I needed to succeed. Having the support of a franchise makes it easier to transition into the business and deal with things like site selection and construction. There is someone who already has a lot of experience in the field available to help with that.

I want people to know that, even with the franchisor holding your hand, you have to have a passion for the franchise you’re opening. They are very helpful, but they are not doing all the work for you.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Rios: I enjoy a good craft beer. When I was researching, I came across Voodoo Brewing Co., and I fell in love with the beer and the concept. I knew I could have the support of a franchise while still personalizing my location to my liking.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Rios: We want to grow our market presence. We want everyone to know us. One brewpub is probably enough for me because I do have other ventures I deal with, but I’m hoping to slowly phase out my involvement in the manufacturing business — pass that off to people I trust to lead it long-term — and spend more time at the pub.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Rios: I left the corporate world to go out on my own, and that didn’t come without heartburn. I found something that I had a passion for, and I believed in it. We started this company from the ground up, and once it was up and running, I had enough money to buy one truckload of paper. I took samples, made from that paper, to customers. They were quick to say that it was a good-looking box, but they couldn’t use it because it was recycled paper.

I kept that paper here for nine years — never wrote it off on inventory. This served as a reminder that no endeavor comes without challenges. We finally sold our last box last year. 

That was just something I had in me. Failure was never an option, and the challenges just encouraged me to find more solutions. There are always problems, and there are always solutions. It’s that mentality that has helped the manufacturing company grow so much, and I’m applying the same approach to my franchise.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Rios: Find something you love and are passionate about. A franchise investment is not something that you can just say “never mind” about. There’s a lot involved, and you don’t want to start something you don’t think you’ll finish. 

Research is key. Research it, fall in love with it, and see it through.

ABOUT VOODOO BREWING CO.

More than just a brewery, Voodoo Brewing Co. is a community of passionate beer lovers dedicated to pushing the boundaries of craft beer. Alongside world-renowned “liquid gold,” provided directly from the brewery, local owners offer killer food, craft cocktails and hard seltzer in their community-focused brewpubs. Each location has a customized logo, locally inspired menu and consistent local events, allowing Voodoo Brewing Co. franchise partners to become truly immersed in their communities. With 20 locations across multiple states, Voodoo Brewing Co. has already captured the hearts of beer enthusiasts nationwide and has proven itself as the fastest-growing brewpub franchise in the world. Now, it is on track to quickly grow roots across the nation. For more information, visit https://voodoofranchising.com/.