Skip to content
Book A Demo

Wild North Brewing Took Control of Their Production Schedule & Costs Transitioning from Mobile Canning to System Ownership

Wild North Brewing 002

Industry

Brewery

Challenge

Mobile canning helped Wild North get into market, but it also created production bottlenecks, tied up tank space, and grew to $40k per year in packaging costs.

Results

By bringing canning in-house, Wild North cut costs, freed up faster tank turns, and positioned themselves to scale wholesale by another 25%.

Key Product

Nano ACS

www.wildnorthbrewery.ca/
2.5hrs
Drain Time Per 10hL Tank
18mo
Est ROI on In-house Equipment
$40k/yr
Saved on Mobile Canning Costs
60%
Packaging Mix in Cans

Mobile canning is a fantastic way to launch, but owning your system puts you in control. With Wild North, our goal wasn’t just to sell a machine—it was to solve a production bottleneck. We walked through the numbers, layout, labor requirements and built a plan they could grow with.

Simon Glassier

Market Account Manager @ Cask

Wild North Brewing 003

About Wild North Brewing Co.

Wild North Brewing Co. is a small but ambitious brewery located in Creston, British Columbia—an “up-and-coming” town nestled in the Kootenays. Co-owned by husband-wife duo Craig and Lisa Wood, Wild North has carved out a reputation for great beer, a welcoming taproom, and colorful cans that echo the beauty of the surrounding mountains.
They have been growing wholesale 25% yoy, and have a great hub of visitors during the summer and winter months taking to mountains.

The Challenge

Wild North had relied on mobile canning for 3 years—enough time to build up their canned product mix to 60% and expand their wholesale presence. But growing demand and accumulating costs was straining the limits of their current setup.

Mobile canning often required them to have at least 3 tanks ready at once to justify the upfront arrival fees. That meant limiting their ability to turnover tanks, missing opportunities to re-pitch yeast, and compressing brewing schedules into chaotic packaging days. It wasn’t just inconvenient—it was expensive. Their mobile canning fees and materials alone topped $40,000 last year.

"For years I said I would never own a canning line. But I kept thinking if we get any busier I don’t know what I'll do,” Craig Wood, Co-Owner, recalls.

Turns out, that day had come.

The Solution

Wild North dove into due diligence—evaluating all entry-level canning systems, comparing speed, quality and price. They needed a system that was compact, reliable, and approachable. The Nano ACS checked all the boxes.

With a throughput of 18 cans per minute, the system could drain a 10hL tank in 2.5 hours—perfect for small, efficient runs. Set on casters, the unit could be wheeled out of the way when not in use. And the simple infeed/outfeed solution meant minimal labor, without overcomplicating their workflow.

Wild North ran the numbers. With their volume, the payback period was just 18 months—a smart investment that would pay off fast.

The Results

By installing the Nano ACS, Wild North gained control over their schedule and cash flow. Instead of waiting for mobile canners, they package on their terms—freeing up tanks, preserving yeast and cutting per-can costs.

They’ve hired a new Sales Rep and are targeting 25% wholesale growth again this year, with plans to expand deeper into British Columbia and Alberta. Their Nano ACS isn’t just a machine—it’s a launchpad.

Wondering if system ownership makes sense for you?

Try our Mobile Canning ROI Calculator to model your numbers and explore what’s possible—with no pressure, just a helpful tool to plan your options ✏️

Ready to get started?

Let's Chat