It’s been a banner year for brewery transactions, especially in California, where four craft companies have sold all or parts of their business.
One of those companies, Golden Road Brewing, caught die-hard craft beer drinkers by surprise when it announced, in September, its sale to Anheuser-Busch InBev.
At the time, many viewed ownership’s decision to sell the company after launching it just four years earlier as calculated. Some characterized it as somewhat of a “get rich quick” scheme, describing Golden Road as a brewery that was “built to sell.”
Indeed, Golden Road was known for having an aggressive business model — one that was built around achieving rapid growth and success in key, off-premise retail chains. But was the plan really to scale quickly and flip, or were there other forces within an increasingly competitive craft segment that caused co-founder Meg Gill and CFO Paul Burgis, two of the driving forces behind the deal, to reevaluate their long-term position in space?
Brewbound is pleased to have both Gill and Burgis join tomorrow’s Brew Talks event, being held at the “side lawn,” located next to the Golden Road Brewery pub, to discuss, in-depth, why the company was sold.
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In a moderated question-and-answer session with Brewbound editor Chris Furnari, the pair will discuss the circumstances that led to a sale and how greater interest as well as investments from international players is impacting the broader craft sector, particularly in California.
A second conversation with Brian Mulvaney, the senior vice president of Bank of America’s beverage banking division, will also be featured.
Brew Talks — gatherings designed to provide industry professionals with engaging and thought-provoking discussions on the business of craft beer – will also offer attendees an excellent opportunity to interact and network with other beverage entrepreneurs.
Brewbound will also be raising money for Heal the Bay, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making Santa Monica Bay, Southern California watersheds and coastal waters safe and healthy for people and marine life. It is one of the largest nonprofit environmental organizations in Los Angeles County, with more than 15,000 members, and 100 percent of registration proceeds will be donated to Heal the Bay.
Please Note: ONLY registered attendees who make a donation will receive a drink ticket redeemable for one FREE Golden Road beer. Donations will also be accepted at the door.
About Brew Talks:
Since hosting our first event in the basement of a craft beer bar in Boston in 2013, the meetup series has developed into a multi-city tour where beer industry professionals can come together inside of some of the country’s most recognizable craft breweries and share business insights with one another.
The Brew Talks program is designed to provide members of the beer community with an opportunity to come together and have in-depth discussions on the business of craft beer. The events are also broadcast globally via a free live stream.
Through its eight meetups this year, Brewbound has connected with more than 900 beer industry professionals and raised $9,700 for local non-profit organizations.