ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Business for a Lehigh Valley-based vodka brand is ready to pour.
Opportunities are taking Mishka Premium Vodka, which has distribution in 16 states, to new heights — literally.
The brand said a national airline will begin carrying its vodka line.
The airline will carry 50 milliliter bottles on select flights and stock them in all Admirals Club lounges across the country, the release said.
It's another achievement by the brand, which early next year expects to open a new manufacturing and production facility in Allentown.
The brand was founded in Allentown in 2014 by Russell Fletcher and has since continued to grow its reach and accolades.
That includes achieving Double Gold and Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition" in 2023, the vodka brand's website reads.
That makes Mishka Premium Vodka among just two distilleries in the commonwealth to achieve the honor.
"This places us among a select group of domestic brands, including industry leaders like Tito's, that have reached this level of recognition," the website says.
With more growth on the horizon, Fletcher said he's "still reeling" from the news.
'Starts with partnerships like this'
The business strengthened its hold on the Lehigh Valley by becoming "the first vodka bar of its kind" at Musikfest three years ago.
Looking back, Fletcher said starting out local has bolstered his business in ways unimaginable.
"We started at one bar, and now we're the vodka feature for everything. Being able to come back and tell that story, but also be able to promote the Valley here, I mean, it's awesome."Mishka Premium Vodka founder Russell Fletcher
"We started at one bar, and now we're the vodka feature for everything," he said. "Being able to come back and tell that story, but also be able to promote the Valley here, I mean, it's awesome."
Fletcher also said he thinks operating as a local business has given him a leg up in several ways.
Partnering with ArtsQuest opened the vodka brand up to another opportunity with Levy, a large-scale restaurant and hospitality company with over 350 venues nationwide.
He said being hyper-local lets him interact personally with potential partnerships versus sending a spokesperson and helps push business forward amid a national shift toward American-made products.
"It all starts with partnerships like this," Fletcher said. "You start kind of knocking them down and then you just have to increase your capacity, which is what we're doing with the new distillery to make sure our wells don't dry."
The vodka is distilled in Allentown through This Life Forever — the first Black-owned distillery in the state. The company, on its LinkedIn account, also says it's the second minority-owned distillery in the country on.
'Direct benefit for our residents'
Last June, Fletcher sought approval from Allentown Planning Commission to expand the vodka brand by demolishing the former A-Treat Bottling facility at 1932 E. Livingston Street through a partnership with the Allentown Economic Development Corporation.
Several months later, local officials secured $7.9 million for infrastructure improvements throughout the city, which included $1 million toward the demolition.
"The funding announced today will have a direct benefit for our residents and visitors to Allentown and the greater Lehigh Valley,” state Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, said at the time.
“This funding gives an opportunity for our local businesses, like Mishka and the Marcon Properties Eastern Exterior Wall Systems project at the Allentown Metal Works site, to increase their manufacturing and production in our region.
"And allows local organizations to make repairs, improvements and upgrades, which will help improve the quality of life in our communities."
The city is already seeking an additional $1,015,000 in HUD funding for the construction of the manufacturing facility, a resolution from Aug. 20 shows.
'Now it's coming to fruition'
With demolition beginning in July, the project is expected to be completed in March 2026, a release said.
"I have been privileged to meet Russell as a small business owner, and witnessing the expansion of his business is precisely the success I hope to continue seeing in the Lehigh Valley," state Sen. Nick Miller said in a release.
“Empowering business leaders like Russell in pursuing their goals through such assistance will not only generate jobs and boost economic activity, but it will also motivate future entrepreneurs to launch their own ventures in this area.
"Thank you to Russell, Patrick and the entire Mishka Vodka team for working diligently to launch their flagship site, demonstrating that meaningful and impactful results can be achieved through collaboration.”
Fletcher said once the new distillery is up and running, it will yield roughly $120 million worth of product in about two shifts.
He said he expects to add about 15 full-time employees there, but that could increase from 30-50 employees depending on seasonal increases.
"Since COVID, we kind of switched our focus into the larger plays, like the bigger box store plays — the ones that can offer a bigger voice than what we can," he said.
"And that's been the focus for the last three and a half, over four years now. And now, it's coming to fruition in a lot of ways."
