Steve Fechheimer, who led New Belgium Brewing Company to unprecedented growth, will depart the company in August after six years to “explore new challenges.”

The wheeling and dealing between Classic Beverage and Scout Distribution continues in California. Classic Beverage of San Diego announced a deal on Friday to acquire Scout Distribution’s business in San Diego. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but the deal is expected to close by August 11, pending supplier approvals.

As the summer selling season takes hold, Dogfish Head is releasing a trio of offerings in its strongest markets, including one that will stick around year-round. Co-founder Sam Calagione shared details of Dogfish Head’s solo releases with Brewbound, joined by Talea Beer Co. founders LeAnn Darland and Tara Hankinson to discuss the second year of the trio’s ongoing bodega-inspired collaboration.

A pair of beer distributor surveys found that many in the middle tier believe that the conservative led boycott of Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light brand may be permanent. Financial services firm Jefferies’ survey found that a majority (65%) of distributors surveyed expect the Bud Light downturn to last at least another six months, while 32% believe it could be permanent. A separate distributor survey by Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog found that most respondents are “pessimistic about the potential for a full recovery” of Bud Light’s “brand equity and market share.”

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. CEO Jeff White has announced his retirement from the Chico, California-headquartered craft brewery. Brewery founder Ken Grossman will step in as interim CEO as a search for a new CEO begins.

After more than four years of leading Salt Lake City-headquartered Uinta Brewing Company, Jeremy Ragonese is stepping down as president, effective June 30. Noah Brown, Uinta’s VP of revenue, will assume the presidency, starting July 1.

A Massachusetts Superior Court Judge on Friday granted Gopuff’s request for a preliminary injunction, blocking for now the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission’s (ABCC) attempt to revoke the e-commerce retailer’s liquor license for allegedly selling and delivering alcoholic beverages to underage consumers in the Bay State.

Josh Landan is leading a craft brewery again. Landan, who founded the now defunct Saint Archer Brewery in 2013 and sold it within two years to MillerCoors, is now the CEO of Great Frontier Holdings, the newly formed parent company of Ninkasi Brewing in Eugene, Oregon, and Wings & Arrow beyond beer offerings. Landan spoke with Brewbound about the merger, the combined company’s ambitions, potential future acquisitions and the contract brewing business.

Portfolio brand Wings & Arrow, whose brands include Ashland Hard Seltzer, Mucho Aloha Hard Lemonade, Villager Spirits canned cocktails and Wings & Arrow beer, is merging with Eugene, Oregon-based Ninkasi Brewing to form Great Frontier Holdings.

Flavor is both the present and the future blueprint for growth in the alcoholic beverage market, Dan Wandel, senior director of insights for Mark Anthony Brands, shared earlier this month during Beer Marketer’s Insights spring business conference in Chicago.

Constellation Brands is exiting the craft beer business. Constellation, which has found success with Mexican import brands Modelo, Corona and Pacifico, said it will divest of its craft and specialty division to refocus its efforts on its core brands. As such, Funky Buddha Brewery in Florida and Four Corners Brewing Co. in Texas will return to their respective original founders.

As the 1-year anniversary of Sapporo’s acquisition of Stone Brewing approaches, the combined company has restructured its distributor management team, which led to a 1% workforce reduction, a spokesperson confirmed to Brewbound.

Production at craft breweries falling outside of the Brewers Association’s (BA) craft brewer definition collectively declined -4% on a comparable basis, to more than 8.68 million barrels in 2022, according to data shared by the trade group in the May/June edition of the New Brewer Magazine.

FX Matt Brewing Company and Flying Dog Brewery announced a deal Monday in which the New York legacy brand would acquire the Frederick, Maryland-based craft brewery and transfer all production to Utica, New York, later this summer. FX Matt CEO Fred Matt and new Flying Dog president Ben Savage shared details of the deal, the challenges Flying Dog has faced in the past and the opportunities ahead.