Dear Client:    While craft beer overall was down 3% in the SoCal food channel in Q4 last year, San Diego-based Coronado Brewing is significantly outpacing its peers (and craft overall) in the category, per recent numbers the brand shared with CBD during our Beer, Wine and Spirits Summit on the island. Coronado Brewing, which grew … Continue reading “Coronado Brewing Eyes C-Stores in ‘24 After Stellar Grocery Trends”

Dear Client:    Smuttynose Brewing’s parent co., Finestkind Brewing, is on a spree in the Northeast. The entity, which acquired Brooklyn-based Five Boroughs Brewing late last year [see CBD 11-07-2023], has now announced the purchase of longtime Massachusetts craft, Wachusett Brewing. The latest acquisition is said to “double” Smuttynose’s revenue and “solidify” the brewer’s “stature as … Continue reading “Smuttynose Parent Co. Strikes Again, This Time Acquiring Wachusett Brewing “

Dear Client:    As the full integration of Sapporo-Stone Brewing nears completion, the company announced executive leadership changes today, with Maria Stipp stepping down as CEO and former CFO Zach Keeling taking over the role in the interim, effective January 26.  “It’s a bittersweet moment,” Maria told CBD, noting that, “unlike many acquisitions, we’ve got the … Continue reading “Maria Stipp Steps Down as Sapporo-Stone CEO, Ushering in Executive Leadership Changes”

Dear Client:    Ready-to-drink beverage alcohol brand Jiant has tapped New Belgium’s former CEO, Steve Fechheimer, to join its board of directors. The company will leverage his industry experience as it doubles down on its fast-growing hard tea line.  Steve’s appointment to Jiant’s board marks his first industry move since leaving New Belgium last summer after … Continue reading “Steve Fechheimer Joins Jiant’s Board as Company Sees Triple-Digit Growth for Hard Tea”

Dear Client:    At our Beer, Wine and Spirits Summit this week in San Diego, newly minted New Belgium CEO Shaun Belongie shared lots of insights — on everything from what it’s like working with parent Co. Kirin Lion, to what they’re seeing from early reads of their new Voodoo Ranger Hardcharged Tea line.   But perhaps … Continue reading “New Belgium Chief on Their Secret Sauce”

Dear Client:    Ahead of its DogPile distributor meeting later this month, Petaluma, California-based Lagunitas Brewing Company has appointed Peter Green as its new head of sales, effective March 1. Peter, a veteran of Heineken USA, Heineken Ireland and Heineken Europe, worked as accounts sales director, head of sales and sales director, respectively. He fills the … Continue reading “Lagunitas Appoints Heineken Vet Peter Green as Head of Sales”

Dear Client:    While we may be in the thick of Dry (or “Damp”) January, no- and low-alcohol beer is increasingly becoming a mainstay in both the on- and off-premise. It also might be the key to generate growth for the craft segment, which Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson predicted late last year would finish … Continue reading “World Brewing Alliance Groks No/Low Run Room in the U.S.”

Dear Client:    Year-end numbers are in from NIQ, and as anticipated, 2023 marked another down year for craft in the off-premise. TRENDS BETTER THAN LAST YEAR, BUT STILL NO GROWTH. The segment, which posted dollar declines of 4% and volume declines of 8.6% in 2022 NIQ scans, fared a little better this past year – … Continue reading “How Craft Shook Out in ’23 NIQ Scans”

Dear Client:    A bill which would allow beer wholesalers in Indiana to expand their portfolios to include liquor-based RTDs was advanced by a House committee Tuesday over the protests of liquor industry representatives, Indiana Capital Chronicle reports. House Bill 1025 “would allow beer wholesalers to sell from their suppliers’ entire portfolios of products,” including RTDs … Continue reading “Beer Wholesalers Inch Closer to Carrying Liquor-based RTDs in Indiana”

Dear Client:    New Jersey legislators are hopeful the 2.0 version of their bill seeking to reform the state’s liquor law to lift food and event restrictions on breweries will be signed this time by Gov. Phil Murphy.  The bill sailed through both chambers, passing the Senate and Assembly yesterday after being introduced early this year. … Continue reading “New Jersey Liquor Law Reform Passes; Heads to Governor’s Desk”

Dear Client:    News is breaking that long time Allagash sales director Naomi Neville is “moving on” from Allagash Brewing, effective early February. Current senior national accounts manager Josh Fruchtman will assume the role.  “Under Naomi’s leadership, the sales function grew from one person (her!) to a 35-person team, and from selling 16,000 barrels of beer … Continue reading “Tenured Allagash Sales Director Naomi Neville Stepping Down; Josh Fruchtman Will Assume Role”

Dear Client:    News is breaking this morning that Asahi is acquiring growing contract/craft brewer out of Wisconsin, Octopi Brewing, enabling the massive Japanese brewer to begin brewing beer in the U.S. Asahi says the acquisition marks “a significant step forward” in its “growth journey” and for its “global ambitions” with Asahi Super Dry, the top-selling … Continue reading “Japanese Brewer Asahi Acquires Octopi Brewing to Produce in the U.S.”

Dear Client:    Looking to get ahead of which bev alc trends are poised to dominate 2024, Drizly surveyed 1,000 LDA adults about what drinks they plan to purchase most in 2024.  And beer – lager in particular – is poised for a comeback this year per those results, with 68% of survey respondents indicating they … Continue reading “Beer, Driven by Lager, May be Poised for a Comeback, Says Drizly”

Dear Client:    Idaho’s beer and wine distributor organization has officially intervened in a suit filed by out-of-state producers challenging the state’s self-distribution laws they claim give a leg up to in-state producers.  Over the holiday break, the Idaho Beer and Wine Distributor’s Association filed a motion to intervene as a defendant in a case brought … Continue reading “Idaho Distributors Want to Defend Self-Distribution Status Quo”

Dear Client:    News hit over the holiday break that Flying Fish Brewing Co. – one of New Jersey’s oldest craft breweries, and for a time the biggest in the state – has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing, submitted during the final week of 2023, capped off a tumultuous year for the South Jersey … Continue reading “Flying Fish Files for Bankruptcy”