Jessica Infante joined Brewbound in 2019 after nearly a decade in a variety of marketing roles in the craft beer industry. Prior to that, she was a daily newspaper reporter at the Jersey Shore. Jess holds a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communication from Emerson College. She is a certified Cicerone and lives in Salem, Massachusetts.
The average price for a case of beer sold in off-premise retail chains has increased $1.32, to $26.47 year-to-date through April 18, compared to the same period last year, according to data shared by market research firm IRI. Segments with the biggest price bumps in 2021 include cider (+$1.76 per case, to $43.27), flavored malt beverages (+$1.28 per case, to $35.55) and imports (+$1 per case, to $33.36).
Legal drinking age New Jerseyans who get their first dose of one of the available vaccines can show their vaccination card at one of 13 participating breweries across the state for a complimentary beer. The Brewers Guild of New Jersey collaborated with the state on the “Shot and a Beer” program, part of the larger “Operation Jersey Summer,” which aims to vaccinate 4.7 million New Jerseyans by June 30.
Registration for the Brewers Association’s (BA) annual Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and BrewExpo America opens Tuesday, May 4, and the trade group has provided an overview of safety measures for the trade show.
Molson Coors Beverage Company CEO Gavin Hattersley admitted that the first quarter of 2021 “was not the quarter we expected to have,” during a conference call for investors and analysts Thursday. The combined effects of a cyber security attack taking down many of its internal systems, a winter storm suspending operations at its Texas brewery and prolonged on-premise shutdowns in Europe added up to a 9.7% decline in Q1 net sales, to $1.89 billion.
Suzie’s Brewery, maker of Suzie’s Organic Hard Seltzer, and Anheuser-Busch InBev agreed earlier this week to settle the Oregon company’s lawsuit against the world’s largest beer manufacturer for allegedly engaging in deceptive advertising practices for its Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer brand.
Matagrano, Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. alleging the Chico-headquartered craft brewery breached the companies’ contract when it terminated its relationship with the South San Francisco-based wholesaler on April 2. In a lawsuit filed in Superior Court of the state of California on April 23, 20 years to the day after Sierra Nevada signed on with Matagrano for distribution, the wholesaler alleged that “as a result of defendant’s breach of the distributorship agreement, Matagrano has been damaged in an amount not yet ascertained, but which exceeds $8 million.”
White Claw Hard Seltzer and Mike’s Hard Lemonade maker Mark Anthony Brands has filed a lawsuit against Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bang Energy LLC alleging copyright infringement in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. In the lawsuit filed April 26, Mark Anthony argues that the defendants’ MIXX flavored malt beverages infringe on its MXD Cocktail Company flavored malt beverages and may cause consumer confusion.
With vaccines now available to all adults, governors are beginning to roll back the restrictions placed on bars and restaurants aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Construction is moving forward at Tree House Brewing Company’s future taproom, beer garden and retail outlet in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, despite opposition from a group of neighbors. “Progress is brisk and we are looking forward to opening as soon as possible and welcoming neighbors and the public into our brewery in Sandwich,” Tree House co-founder and head brewer Nathan Lanier told Brewbound.
Two Robbers Hard Seltzer has raised $6 million in a Series A funding round led by New York-based Brand Foundry Ventures. The company has plans to add six new markets to its footprint: Maryland, Virginia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington, D.C.
Anheuser-Busch InBev has forged a master distributor agreement with Canteen Spirits, while its growth and innovation arm ZX Ventures has made an investment in the 2-year-old ready-to-drink canned cocktail brand.
Mass. Bay Brewing Company and the Massachusetts Brewers Guild (MBG) have launched Hop Forward Equality, a website with resources and a job board with the goal of creating a more diverse and equitable industry and consumer base for Bay State breweries. “We have to ask ourselves why, and we have to do a better job truly encompassing and embracing our communities,” MBG executive director Katie Stinchon said in a press release.
The loss of higher-margin on-premise consumption cost the beer industry more than $20 billion in 2020, National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones reported yesterday during a webinar. “Volumes went up a little bit, maybe 0.5-1% up, but spending shifted dramatically,” Jones said. “
California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) executive director Lori Ajax and lobbyist Chris Walker shared the progress the organization has made on behalf of the state’s craft breweries yesterday during what board chair Lynne Weaver called the “second and hopefully last” virtual conference. California is home to 958 craft breweries, which produced 3.3 million barrels in 2020, making it No. 1 in craft beer production nationwide.
