Firefly, the Oldest Working Distillery in South Carolina is Making Strides Toward Gender Equality

South Carolina’s Oldest Working Distillery Touts All-Female Production Team For First Time in its History

Six women elevating the work and uplifting women in the distilling industry

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (October 17, 2023) – Firefly Distillery, South Carolina’s oldest working distillery, is celebrating its first all-female production team. Throughout its successful nearly 20-year history, Firefly Distillery has quadrupled in size of distillery and spirits offerings, become a staple venue for live music, and now celebrates the success of the new production department. In an industry that is often dominated by men, a female-led production team is making strides toward gender equality in distilling, and they are seeing notable benefits from it.

“Women have always been an integral part of this family-run distillery, but to see this all-female group start to reshape how we run our production department has been inspiring,” says Ashley Gilbert, production manager of Firefly Distillery. “While we might not have set out to create an all-female team, we are proud to support and elevate women in distilling and offer continued growth opportunities for our employees.”

Women have long been leading departments at the historic distillery, from accounting to gift shop merchandising, events and more, but this is the first time Firefly boasts an all-female production team. The distillery will always hire the most qualified candidate for the position, so the team might not always remain all-female, but there have been great takeaways from this shift, reshaping how Firefly approaches production processes and details. 

With this dedicated team, Firefly has seen immense changes that have raised its standards and expectations for production. The distillery has shifted attention to details in labeling, created new processes for organization, developed creative ideas for operations, and opened the door for learning opportunities. Teamwork, collaboration, communication and cohesion allow for Firefly to offer a seamless experience for visitors, from behind the scenes to forward-facing operations. Like other industries, having diverse leadership and teams can draw new perspectives and lead to broader innovation. 

As the distilling industry slowly becomes more inclusive, Firefly Distillery is making strides to further uplift women breaking into the industry through mentorship and continuing education. Members of the distillery’s female-run production team are applying to be mentors to guide other women in the industry. The distillery is also supporting its staff by sponsoring continuing education in the field. 

Members of the all-women’s production team include: 

Ashley Gilbert, production manager

Dagney Bodach, blender 

Riley Macmurphy, line lead and purchasing agent 

Perrin Hatcher, production associate

Juliana Velazquez, production associate

Hannah Dobbins, production associate

Firefly Distillery is located at 4201 Spruill Avenue and is currently open Monday through Saturday from 12 – 6 p.m., offering tastings and cocktails with live music and food trucks on Saturdays. For more information about the distillery, visit fireflydistillery.com. 

ABOUT FIREFLY DISTILLERY

Firefly Distillery is the birthplace of the world’s first sweet tea vodka and produces thirty craft spirits at the 25,000 square foot distillery in North Charleston, SC. The most-visited distillery in the Charleston area, Firefly Distillery provides a unique experience for locals and visitors alike. Firefly is not only a working distillery, but a major concert venue for national touring acts. Visitors can experience the distillation process firsthand, taste craft spirits and signature cocktails, and enjoy live music, food trucks, countless events and a gift shop. All Firefly Spirits are available for purchase, including exclusive specialty spirits and other locally made products. For more information, visit www.fireflydistillery.com.