Continuous improvement in craft beverage tools—inside Foeder Crafters’ evolution, with Dan Saettele.

What does it take to buy a niche manufacturing business in the middle of a pandemic—and make it thrive? In this episode, Matthew talks with Dan Saettele, the former banker who now runs Foeder Crafters, the only U.S. company manufacturing foeders full-time. These massive Missouri White Oak fermentation tanks are turning heads in taprooms and changing the way craft beverages are made.

Dan opens up about the transition from finance to the shop floor, the operational overhaul he led, and the mindset that keeps the company evolving. This is a story of continuous improvement, smart leadership, and rethinking how tradition meets innovation.

✅ What a foeder is—and why it’s different from a barrel
✅ How Dan navigated supply chain, staffing, and process redesign
✅ The philosophy of “nothing is sacred” in product development
✅ Common misconceptions about American oak and how Foeder Crafters challenges them
✅ Global trends in fermentation—from Korea to natural wine
✅ Advice for anyone thinking of buying a niche business in craft beverage

 

Foeder Crafters of America

Dan Saettele
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Sponsors:

Debbie Wildrick Consulting
 

 

 

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