SASKATOON — What began as a small home brewing experiment has grown into a Saskatchewan success story, as Rebellion Brewing expands into Saskatoon with a new location at Gather Local Market.
In 2014, Mark Heise and a group of his friends decided to start a home brewery to introduce new craft beers and challenge the system dominated by big-name companies that produced commercial beer. Little did they know that they started a “rebellion.” From there, Rebellion Brewing Company was born.
But it was not smooth sailing, as their experiment gradually evolved from showing up at local events like festivals and Roughriders games into a local business that now has its second location in the province at Gather Local Market in Saskatoon, serving residents the same craft beers that became a regular pit stop for many at their original Regina location in Dewdney Avenue’s warehouse district.
Heise, during the official opening on Friday, March 27, said Rebellion is a business grounded not just in craft beer, but in community spirit, collaboration and doing things differently, which is why more than a decade later, they now have a long-term vision of the company’s expansion as both a business milestone and a community investment.
“We expect to make a huge impact in the [Saskatoon] community, and we love being here. We’ve been in Regina for a long time, and we’ve got a lot of fans. It’s about partnerships and working together to make something better. Before, we’ve done lots of events and festivals in Saskatoon for years. We’ve established relationships,” said Heise, who also looks forward to the planned downtown arena.
He said that community spirit became Rebellion’s foundation as it continues to grow, and that he is also open to expanding into other cities in the province, or even taking their product to Winnipeg, either by establishing a small branch, distribution centre, gatherings, major sporting events or festivals to make them accessible and promote a Saskatchewan product.
“It’s not just beer. It’s about the experience. There’s a spin-off effect when you’re a local business. People come for one thing, and they discover everything else. We’re not just rebelling against boring beer. We’re showing there’s a better way to run a company,” added Heise, whose core belief is that beer should serve in bringing people together positively to the places where it’s made and consumed.
He connects that philosophy to the company’s new location at Gather Local Market, a space Heise has been connected to since its early planning stages in 2015. Having contributed ideas to its development, he now sees the project as a realization of years of collaboration with local partners and city officials. He believes its new location in Saskatoon has the potential to become a premier tourism destination.
Rebellion is also deeply tied to Saskatchewan’s local economy as it sources most of its ingredients from within the province, supporting agricultural producers and showcasing the quality of locally grown barley and hops. Their growth creates a ripple effect by generating jobs, supporting suppliers and driving traffic to neighbouring businesses.
From its headquarters in Regina to its new Saskatoon presence, Rebellion has built a reputation not only for award-winning beer but also for its business approach to cultivating a loyal customer base that would do anything to visit its Regina brewery, as evidenced by their willingness to brave a construction site.
