Carrying on a family business that has been around for nearly 90 years can certainly place pressure on someone, but when it involves having the aspiration to expand it into an entirely new and innovative direction, that pressure often turns into passion.

As the soon-to-be first student to graduate Grand Valley State University with a bachelor’s degree in general management and entrepreneurship, senior Jacob Heiss plans to utilize his degree by combining his experience and expertise as a fifth-generation farmer to expand his family’s farm into a local meadery – a place that produces alcoholic drinks using fermented honey and water.

“The business electives I’ve taken have helped me in learning how to have financial structure and implement business plans,” Heiss said. “GVSU has also provided me with resources such as the Sprout Lab, CEI and CEO club and the Small Business Development Center.”

Heiss Farms, a 300-acre family-owned business located in Ravenna, grows and produces flower-hanging baskets, vegetables, blueberries, potatoes, onions and honey using black, organic soil. To contribute toward the farm’s new product development, Heiss had the idea of starting his own business that would use the farm’s crops to extend his family’s product line, an extension he named Muckflat Meadery.

Growing up in the agricultural business, Heiss stumbled upon the vision of developing his own business through experimentation with crops. Discovering that honey and blueberries could be turned into wine and mead, Heiss began collaborating with local stakeholders to incorporate the traditions of his family farm into a business of his own.

According to its website, Muckflat Meadery produces seasonal brews that use fresh fruit from the West Michigan area with a heavy focus in Heiss Farms. Each handcrafted batch of mead is unique to the season and location of the fruit. The brews are light and carbonated with a six percent alcohol level and can be comparable to hard ciders.

“Right now, we’re in the process of obtaining a liquor license in order to sell the products,” Heiss said. “The earliest we’re expecting to have it would be September and the latest would be at the beginning of 2016.”

In an attempt to turn Muckflat Meadery into West Michigan’s leading craft beer producer, Heiss has been working alongside Logan Knoper, a GVSU student majoring in geology, who shares the same interest for craft beer.

“I decided to become involved because of my love for the craft beer industry and desire to apply my geology major to things outside the norm,” Knoper said. “Jake Heiss is very passionate about what he is starting, and he makes others around him want to be a part of it.”

Knoper has been with Muckflat Meadery for a couple months, where he has been working to combine Heiss’ business knowledge with his geology background.

“Ultimately, we will be working to focus on the chemistry of the ingredients and the quality of water used in making the mead,” Knoper said. “Jake and I will also be working on co-brewing braggot meads (a mix of spices, mead and beer).”

Rather than simply a producer of mead, Muckflat Meadery also aims to serve as a business that will have an impact on transforming the agricultural image of West Michigan.

Megan Thompson, senior at GVSU and Heiss’ roommate, said West Michigan could not be a better area for his business.

“I think West Michigan is all about supporting local businesses and supporting individuals who have unique ideas, especially when it comes to craft brewing,” Thompson said. “It’s awesome that he (Heiss) wants to incorporate his family business into the meadery. It just makes it that much more personal, which I think goes a long way in West Michigan.”

As the craft beer industry continues to rise in success and popularity, Heiss said he wants to take a grassroots approach in terms of selling his product once a liquor license is obtained.

“We’ll most likely start by selling kegs and selling at local specialty shops where buyers can become familiar with our name,” Heiss said. “I want to stay away from stores like Meijer and Sam’s Club where (to a consumer) a product is just a product. I’d like to open a store in downtown Muskegon.”

Local government officials in Muskegon County have sent multiple letters of support on behalf of Muckflat Meadery in an effort for Heiss to attain that goal.

As all businesses take time to develop and build support, Knoper continues to have high hopes for the future of Muckflat Meadery.

“I can see Muckflat Meadery becoming one of Michigan’s most respected producers of mead in the future,” he said. “I think the market is ready for it. (Heiss) is consistently ahead of the trend, pays close attention to details and is ready to actively engage in his community. West Michigan is the perfect place for Muckflat Meadery to grow.”

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