Brooks’ Bottling Co.’s Patriot Series Gives Back to Local Veterans

By JOSHUA YOUNGQUIST
ONEONTA

For Ryan Brooks, owner of Brooks’ Bottling Co., the launch of the Patriot Series was about more than selling products. His new line of three sauces—Texas Style BBQ, Maple Bourbon BBQ, and Brooks’ original BBQ sauce—is about creating a way for customers to support veterans while purchasing products they can feel good about.

“You find that what’s important to you in life and things that you want to partner with. The veterans, I mean the military and those that have served and those that are serving, are very important to me,” Brooks said. “I’ve never served, but I certainly support all those who have and are still serving our country.”

The Patriot Series features clean-label products made without “corn, no preservatives,” according to Brooks. Beyond the products themselves, the series is designed to provide financial support to veterans’ organizations throughout New York State.

“It’s a feel good, do good thing for me,” Brooks said. “We’re providing our customers that are purchasing this Patriot Series a really good product, and at the same time they’re supporting our veterans through us.”

A percentage of sales from Patriot Series products is donated directly to participating veterans’ organizations. Brooks emphasized that there are no intermediaries involved in the process.

“Everything that we donate goes right to the Veterans Affairs offices facility that we work with and it’s 100 percent. There’s not 80 percent, there’s not 50 percent, it’s 100 percent,” Brooks said.

According to Brooks, the bottling company currently works with organizations in Oneonta, Rochester and Syracuse while expanding partnerships in the Albany region. The company hopes to continue growing the program throughout New York before extending it into neighboring states.

“We’re stretching this,” Brooks said. “Basically looking in Pennsylvania, looking in Massachusetts, and growing, and where it stops I don’t know. We want to make sure that as we’re growing the sales, it’s going to as many of these VA-affiliated offices throughout the state to start.”

Although the Patriot Series remains in its early stages, Brooks said the response from veterans’ organizations has already been encouraging.

“The feedback, since you look at Patriot Flight, who is one of our partners in Albany, they can’t thank us enough,” Brooks said.

Patriot Flight, which helps transport veterans to visit military memorials in Washington, D.C., has left a lasting impression on Brooks.

“They’ll send veterans to Washington, no charge for them to go to the Korean or the World War II memorial or wherever they’re going,” Brooks said. “It’s just an incredible thing that they do.”

Meeting veterans and hearing their stories has further strengthened the company’s commitment to the initiative.

“We met with some folks in Albany that have been in the Vietnam War and the Korean War, and the stories that we’ve heard of their experiences, it just drives us more and more to do more for them,” Brooks said.

The Patriot Series also fits into Brooks’ Bottling Co.’s broader plans for growth. Brooks said the company hopes to involve additional manufacturers in the effort to expand fundraising opportunities.

“We’re also now looking to partner with other manufacturers,” he said. “The more we can grow this with partners that we trust, it’s just going to be great for everybody.”

Brooks also highlighted ongoing efforts to build community partnerships that can support veterans’ causes. He recently attended an event at Cook Park in Colonie and sees opportunities for future fundraising activities.

“This park is beautiful,” Brooks said. “If I can get a fundraiser there, get a band and all the stuff, I think it’d be huge.”

While Brooks welcomes attention for the Patriot Series, he said recognition is not the motivation behind the effort.

“I’m not looking for anything from anybody,” Brooks said. “We’re doing this to do it, not for any other reason than that.”

Ultimately, Brooks said the goal is to help organizations that serve veterans and provide support where funding may fall short.

“Some of the folks that we’ve run into and talked to, they’re just so appreciative of the services and the folks that offer the services,” Brooks said. “They’re strapped and funding gets cut, so we want to be there and supplement what they’re missing out on.”

Reflecting on the initiative, Brooks said the effort is rooted in values he hopes to pass on to the next generation.

“I was raised right and I want to make sure we’re always doing that, and my kids, too,” he said. “It takes a village, but everyone’s got to take care of each other.”