Not every investment the Finance Authority makes is in a building or parking garage. We often help clients finance new equipment or technology. That’s the power of our Neighborhood Improvement and Small Business (NISB) Loan program, which the owners of Simple Times Mixers used recently to acquire this state-of-the-art, bag-in-a-box filling machine.
Finance Authority Project Manager and small business advocate Matt Lima recently toured the Simple Times operation and saw the new equipment in action. Brought in from California, the filling machine allows the company to more quickly contain its large-volume cocktail mixes and syrups in bags versus the bottles it relied on previously. Transitioning to bags for part of their product line helps reduce the amount of glass it warehouses, lowers the cost to ship it to customers, and opens up new distribution partners. 
“The staff is thrilled with the gains of efficiency, and they say the machine is currently operating at just 20 to 30 percent of capacity,” says Lima. “It gives them lots of room to grow. We love it when our small business loans help businesses streamline operations and achieve more.”
Says Mark Tinus, the founder of Simple Times Mixers: “Not only are we more efficient, but we have dramatically expanded market reach for our larger format products. Previously restricted to customers within Ohio, we can now ship across the country.”
Based in Columbus, Simple Times was founded in 2017. The company uses all-natural ingredients to handcraft mixers in more than 50 flavors, including Espresso Martini, Pineapple Mule, and Blood Orange Margarita. Gluten-free and vegan, the mixes can be ordered online by consumers or as bulk wholesale for eligible retailers, bars, and restaurants.
