Kevin Kull was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with both his grandfather and father working in the same malthouse as he does now.

 

By: Living a Stout Life

 

About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC)

We are a collective of craftsmen devoted to making exceptional malt. We are innovators, designers, scientists, farmers, brewers and artists. We are your link from farm to beer, and we want you to know us as a vital part of the craft beer community.

 

Our business is craft. Our craft is malt. Our malt is your business.

 

Meet Kevin Kull

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with both his grandfather and father working in the same malthouse as he does now, one might say that Kevin’s malting future was predetermined.

 

Today, his current view from his bedroom window is that same malthouse’s towering elevator. While his future may not have been set in stone, the roots were planted for this third generation maltster years before Malteurop even entered the picture.

 

Since 1941, Kevin has had a family member working at this same plant. So when a summer opportunity at the plant presented itself to him when he was attending university, he figured, why not? Thirty-three years and four different malting companies later, Kevin has risen his way up the ladder and is now the Maltings Manager for Malteurop Canada, heading up the Winnipeg plant.

 

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To learn more about Malteurop’s story, click here.

 

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What is your educational background?

This seems like a natural pathway given that both his grandfather and father built their careers in this same malthouse. But Kevin’s original career goals had nothing to do with the malthouse.

 

In fact, they didn’t even have anything to do with manual labor. His educational background started in accounting. However, once that summer position at the malthouse started, he got a taste of both worlds. And that taste drastically changed his professional trajectory.

 

“Once I was doing both, I found the physical atmosphere [of the malthouse] was more fulfilling, and it was better than sitting at a desk and crunching numbers all day. Then, at the end of the day, I saw the fruits of my labor as I could go out and have a beer after work and realize I had something to do with that.”

 

Granted, he didn’t just simply switch from accounting to where he is now without additional education. Throughout his malting career, Kevin has completed several manufacturing and management courses. Courses such as the Lean and Six Sigma Methodology through Villanova University in Winnipeg. Both focus on business practices that provide streamline processes increasing both productivity and efficiency.

 

Wanting to know as much about the malting process as he did about management and manufacturing, early on in his career, he jumped on the chance to enroll in Malteurop’s malting course along with courses offered at the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Center in Winnipeg.

 

Decades later, Kevin is far from done learning.

 

“I recently got my certificate in craft brewing through Cornell University to get a better understanding of what the craft brewers are going through and to be able to have more informed discussions with them regarding quality and issues in brewing.”

 

Recognizing that getting good quality malt into the market takes a team, he jokes that he could  also be a Craft Sales Manager, actually more like their wingman.

 

“We’re their wingmen. We set it up (the conversation) and they finish it off.” Teamwork makes the dream work.

 

It’s easy to see how Kevin has been in the malting business for decades, but his education started long before he even set foot in the malthouse.

 

How did you decide to be a plant manager for a malting company?

Was there ever really a decision to be made? With both his father and grandfather in the malting business, and now he, and his son, we think not.

 

Exposed to the business and the industry early in life and finding it interesting even as he attended university for accounting, that summer opportunity at the malthouse that had always been just down the street from him was all it took. That and an opportunity to work there full time.

 

Starting first in sanitation and operations, Kevin began his malting career washing floors, sweeping, and hauling grain. With dedication and education, he worked his way up through many roles, departments, and malting companies. So when Malteurop finally purchased this staple Winnipeg malthouse in 2005, he was embedded in the culture of malting, management, and quality.

 

“It’s a never turn back now situation and as opportunities came along, I jumped on them.”

 

Now with more than 30 years of experience, Kevin recognizes that genetics might just play a role in his longevity.

 

“My dad started when he was 18 and retired at 65. Maybe it’s built into me genetically to be a long-serving kinda person.”

 

We’d like to think that it was his passion for malt and the liquid products that come from it.

 

What does your average day look like?

Whether it’s genetics, passion, or more than likely a combination of both, Kevin’s commitment to Malteurop and his employees is evidenced in all that he does. And all he does is no simple task.

 

Starting his morning around 5:30 am to ensure the quality of the barley coming in and the malts going out, he and his team review lab results and shipment plans. As the day goes on, you’ll find him on the plant floor more than behind his desk.

 

While team meetings are necessary to keep safety a priority, to maintain a balanced budget, and to bring about innovation in the field, Kevin believes it’s just as important to be a part of the actual process of the plant.

 

“I’m a hands-on, out-in-the-field kinda guy. I’m not a desk guy, so if my door is closed, I’m in a meeting. I still get involved in the quality and the shipping and am still on the floor. I don’t rule with an iron fist. I like to think I’m fair but sometimes people don’t agree with me, but someone has to make a decision at some point, so that ultimately comes down to me.”

 

And being hands-on, Kevin has a deeper understanding of his employees. Recognizing that there are many generations in the plant, each with their own understanding of the world and the workforce, Kevin acknowledges that what motivates and inspires one generation or person may not have the same effect on another. It’s not that he treats people differently, it’s that he understands that people aren’t one size fits all.

 

It’s that combination of skills that makes Kevin a valuable asset to the Malteurop team.

 

“Making sure the company is profitable and has longevity is important because then I know my employees and myself have a job to come to.”

 

What are some of your career accomplishments?

Speaking of longevity, you can be sure that Kevin has amassed a few accomplishments in his lustrous career in malting and at Malteurop.

 

Running the elevator for six years, Kevin is very proud of the fact that he never once had a shipment returned.

 

One of the accomplishments that Kevin is most proud of is the plant’s safety record. However, it’s not really about the numbers on paper nor is it all about him. It’s about how the entire team works together to create a safe environment.

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To learn more about Malteurop’s safety culture, click here.

 

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“I want to make sure my employees go home safe. Even something as small as a cut matters. And safety is not about discipline. It’s about showing that you care about people and their well-being, empowering the employees to have a conversation with each other about safety as well. It’s that thought of everyone caring about one another.”

 

“We truly care about our employees. It’s not just a tick on the box that we talked about safety; it’s actually caring about the employees.”

 

How do you work with others at MMC to get your partners what they need?

And that caring attitude expands beyond the company itself, to MMC’s partners. Ensuring that each and every team member has what they need to create a quality product encompasses everyone involved in the industry.

 

So when a brewer or distiller has a need or an issue or even just a question, the entire MMC team gets behind the solution if the need arises.

 

“Depending on the issues, if we all need to get involved to look into root causes of something that needs to be addressed, we will.”

 

But Kevin doesn’t even want it to get to that point. Holding monthly or biweekly calls with customers, he can stay ahead of the game with a goal of addressing possible concerns before they even have a chance of becoming an issue.

 

It’s this support that Kevin believes sets Malteurop apart from other companies.

 

“Malteurop is very customer sensitive. We want to be more of a partner to help come up with a quality product at the end. It’s in both of our best interests that they have a good product because the customers are going to consume more beer which means more sales for us. But at the end of the day, we want to be proud of what we supplied, and the brewer wants to be proud of what they are putting out there, as well. It goes hand in hand.”

 

Where do you see the future of malting heading?

Holding a managerial position means working as a team with both outside partners and everyone within the company. It’s that teamwork that helps Kevin see Winnipeg becoming a bigger player on the craft side.

 

Some big brewers are experiencing a decline, as miniscule as it might be, and that decline can possibly give small craft brewers a benefit. The playing field might never be even – there will always be big and small breweries – but with continuously advancing technological and logistical processes, more craft breweries are gaining access into the distribution side of things and Malteurop is excited to be along for the ride.

 

What’s your favorite style of beer and why?

And what goes brilliantly after a long ride? Beer, of course. Working in the malting industry, we had to know what Kevin’s drink of choice was.

 

“I’m strictly a beer guy, and the occasion dictates what I’m drinking. I’m a big fan of local sports, so tailgating often means light lagers. 

 

As for his style on the craft side of things, “I’m not a hoppy guy, but a blonde ale is good. I’m more on the subtle side.”

 

What beer is in your fridge currently?

His fridge, on the other hand, is not so subtle when it comes to copious amounts of beer. 

 

Not to mention that he also likes to support Winnipeg’s 27 craft breweries, so there’s a plethora of craft blondes taking up space in his beer fridge, too.  Yes, beer fridge. That combined with a pool table, a TV for sports, a pit for bonfires, and music – we say it’s time to head to Kevin’s.

 

“Our place is the place to hang out and drink some beers and enjoy the summer.”

 

Who are you outside of work?

People are more than just their careers, so we had to check in to see more of who Kevin is outside of work. We’ll let him tell you.

 

“I’m into sports. We watch a lot of sports, but I play some too. I go to the gym every day. I coach basketball. I played it. My two kids play it. I play golf, go fishing. I’m into the outdoors.”

 

It makes sense now why Kevin is a hands-on manager. That’s just his style.

 

“If I’m sitting down, then I’m probably falling asleep.”

 

We understand. There’s just too much out there to learn and explore to be sitting for too long.

 

Work isn’t everything, no matter how much one likes their job. And as evidenced by our conversation with Kevin about his passion for his career and his personal life, Kevin appears to be enjoying both very nicely.

 

We thank him for that. Because without an understanding that every person has a different passion for something, outside of work, Kevin wouldn’t be the manager he is. And Malteurop wouldn’t be the company they are.

 

It’s the people that make a company great, not the other way around.

 

 

Cheers. To the farmers. The maltsters. The brewers. The Innovators.