GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Founders Brewing Co. moved up 12 spots to break the top 30 on a list of the largest craft brewers in the country last year.

The annual list from the Brewers Association trade group measures the largest craft breweries in the country by beer sales volume.

In 2012, Founders, based in Grand Rapids, landed at No. 30 on the list. In 2011, the company was ranked at No. 42. See the entire list here.

On the Brewers Association’s 2012 list of largest overall breweries, which includes mega brand companies like Anheuser-Busch InBev, Founders ranked at No. 41. The trade group defines craft brewers as small, independent companies with an annual production of less than 6 million barrels.

Bell's Brewery of Kalamazoo maintained its 2011 place at No. 7 on the 2012 list. Founders and Bells are the only two Michigan breweries on the list. Tops on the list is Sam Adams maker Boston Beer Co.

Founders is in the middle of a $26 million expansion project at its 235 Grandville Ave. SW facility that should create more than 50 new jobs and increase beer output capacity to 340,000 barrels.

More: Full coverage of Founders Brewing Co.

Mike Stevens, Founders CEO, has said part of the company’s growth strategy is to get a firm toehold within the top 25 largest craft breweries in the country in order to stay front and center with distributors and retailers.

Due to "hyper growth" within the craft beer industry, Stevens expects wholesalers and retailers to eventually be overwhelmed by the amount of new breweries competing for shelf space.

"There's going to be more six-packs coming at them than they can handle," he said in November during a lead-up to the brewery's 15-year anniversary.

Brewers Association director Paul Gatza said craft beer surpassed six percent of the total domestic beer market in 2012, with volume and dollar sales reaching record levels.

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