Dear Client:  Indiana-based 3 Floyds Brewing is bouncing back post-pandemic. The brand, whose footprint covers 20 states in “the upper right quadrant of the U.S. map,” was up just a hair in volume in ‘22 to 107,643 barrels, a 1,000-barrel increase over ‘21, Jason McMackins, president of sales and marketing, told CBD.  But with shipments … Continue reading “3 Floyds On Innovating “In Our Own Way””

Dear Client:  A distribution deal between PepsiCo and Corwin Beverage in Washington State has suddenly left a number of craft beer brands, cider brands and specialty imports in WA without a route to market in certain areas of the state, reports the Washington Beer Blog. The development, as the report shares, apparently stems from a … Continue reading “Report: Number of Craft Suppliers Left Hanging in WA, Following Distrib Deal Between PepsiCo and Corwin Beverage”

Dear Client:  CBD readers know that Coronado Brewing Co. is bucking the general craft trend – having a good and eventful couple of years, despite being an almost 30-year-old craft brewer.  Earlier this month, we shared that Salty Crew Blonde Ale, Coronado’s collaboration brew with the namesake San Diego lifestyle apparel company, has quickly become … Continue reading “How Coronado Brewing Co. Continues to Reinvent Itself”

Dear Client:  Anheuser-Busch-owned Elysian Brewing has officially entered the hop water category with Odd Water, a non-alcoholic sparkling hop water. Odd Water features Citra and Amarillo hops, which “provide subtle floral, citrus notes and sweet herbal characteristics not unlike those found in a juicy IPA,” per company spokesperson.  The sparkling water is available in Elysian’s … Continue reading “Elysian Enters Hop Water Game with Odd Water”

Dear Client:  Looks like New Belgium is investing in the sweet FMB arena this year, with the debut of new “hard juice” brand, Wild Nectar. It’s dubbed as “slightly sweet and lightly carbonated,” at just above hard seltzer calorie counts (120-130ish cals), but right at 5% ABV, and gluten free to boot. Wild Nectar’s neon-colored, … Continue reading “New Belgium Releasing Wild Nectar Hard Juice”

Dear Client:  While overall craft trends appear to be stuck in a rut YTD in scans (down mid-singles in dollars and down high-singles in volume), there’s plenty of movement going on inside the segment.  Indeed, the latest scans from Circana (IRI) YTD to February 26 reveal:  Let’s start with that first bullet point, a new … Continue reading “Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA Now Top Craft Brand in Convenience and Other Takeaways From Latest Scans”

Dear Client:  Recall Sierra Nevada’s big announcement last August that with their imminent Chico innovation center, CanDo, they are open to partnerships of all kinds, with all kinds of producers —  from spirits to non-alc beverage companies, to energy players and more [see CBD 08-24-2022].  Today they’re making good on that promise. Sierra has just … Continue reading “Sierra Nevada on Minority Stake in RIOT Energy: “A Meaningful Partnership that Will Form Over Time””

Dear Client:  Sovos ShipCompliant and the Brewers Association are back with their 3rd Annual “Direct-to-Consumer Beer Shipping Report,” providing a look at how craft beer drinkers feel about DTC beer shipping, as well as its opportunities and legal standing. As you might imagine, the report — which again was put together by two large proponents … Continue reading “New Report Outlines “Desire” for DTC Beer Shipping”

Dear Client: Boston Beer Co. recently posted an 8K revealing that CFO Frank Smalla will depart the company next month, with their current Chief Accounting Officer, Matt Murphy, taking the position of Interim CFO on March 24 while they search  for a permanent successor.  In a note to coworkers today, chief Dave Burwick noted that … Continue reading “Boston CFO Frank Smalla Departing Next Month for KKR-Backed Private Equity Company”

Dear Client: Last week, CBD attended the all-things-on-premise VIBE conference in San Diego. While 2023 was the second post-COVID VIBE conference, it’s safe to say that one of the themes to reverberate throughout the week was “what happens next” now that the on-premise has in some ways bounced back to pre-2019 levels.  Read on for … Continue reading “VIBE: Operators Dish on Labor Shortages, RTDs and Price Hikes”

Dear Client: While bigger brewers may have culled some innovations this year due to signs of slowed consumer spending, some fourth category newcomers remain bullish on their own growth prospects.  Case in point: Luna Bay Booch Co.  The hard kombucha brand, launched in 2019, months before the pandemic, tells CBD it has experienced incremental growth … Continue reading “Luna Bay Booch Co. on Winning Distribution As Hard Kombucha Start Up”

Dear Client: NOCA, the non-carbonated, better-for-you hard lemonade and boozy water company, is beefing up its c-suite: the brand has brought on Andrew Norlin, a bev alc industry vet and a former Pabst Brewing Co. executive, to serve as its new chief commercial officer. As CCO, Andrew will oversee “the sales & distribution strategy and … Continue reading “Former Pabst SVP on Leveling Up NOCA”

Dear Client: A year after acquiring Uinta Brewing, US Beverage is back making moves in the craft beer space, announcing today a sales and marketing partnership with “one of the Hudson Valley’s largest craft breweries,” Captain Lawrence Brewing. Recall, US Beverage is a 26-year-old sales and marketing company for a diverse portfolio of brands, including … Continue reading “US Beverage Strikes Sales and Marketing Partnership with Captain Lawrence Brewing”

Dear Client: As spirits-based seltzer competition heats up this year, Anheuser-Busch is dialing up support for its newer play, NÜTRL Vodka Seltzer, recruiting actress and Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman to help bring the brand’s first national campaign to life. In this wacky new campaign, called “NÜTRL. The One with the Umlaut,” Chloe will … Continue reading “NÜTRL Gets Wacky with SNL Star for First National Campaign”

Dear Client: Athletic Brewing has said it wants to “push the boundaries of what’s possible in non-alcoholic beer,” and this next release from the brewer might be its most experimental brew yet. Indeed, the #2 non-alc beer brand announced today that it has teamed up with Super Coffee, the third-largest bottled coffee brand in the … Continue reading “Athletic and Super Coffee Team Up for “Pre-Workout Brew,” Suped Up”