Headlines

Heineken USA (HUSA) is giving away 1,000 31-packs of its non-alcoholic beer, Heineken 0.0, as part of a campaign to win beer-drinking occasions during “Dry January.”

Mergers and acquisitions in the craft beer industry have evolved from a peak period of large corporate brewery buyouts to craft-on-craft deals and multi-brand craft roll ups, Cascadia Capital managing director Nicole Nugent Fry discussed during her presentation earlier this month at the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica.

Flavored malt beverages have delivered more dollar sale growth in the off-premise retail channel than any other segment in the beer category in 2019, according to market research firm IRI. Innovation leaders from Molson Coors, Deschutes Brewery and beer-driven on-premise chain Taco Mac discussed the shifting beer category during the Brewbound Live business conference.

Off-premise dollar sales of hard seltzers are on pace to hit $1.5 billion by the end of 2019, Nielsen’s beverage alcohol practice team shared earlier this month during the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica. Nielsen’s beverage alcohol practice team members Danelle Kosmal and Caitlyn Battaglia shared that hard seltzers now account for 5% of all beer category dollars.

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Sycamore Brewing added distribution to Virginia this month, vice president of sales Archie Gleason told Brewbound. Night Shift Brewing will begin distribution to New Hampshire in 2020, according to a Facebook post from Amoskeag Beverages.

Lost Abbey co-founder and chief operating officer Tomme Arthur announced plans to launch a new line of canned sour beers called Tiny Bubbles, which he called his company’s “authentic alternative,” in his opening address earlier this month during the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica.

Federal excise tax (FET) relief for makers of beer, wine and spirits is locked in place through the end of 2020. President Donald Trump today signed into law a tax extender package that includes the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA), which passed both chambers of Congress this week.

Coronado Brewing Company announced Thursday the appointment of James Murray as the San Diego craft brewery’s next CEO. Meanwhile, Atlanta, Georgia-headquartered Monday Night Brewing has hired Jill Matherson as its director of people and culture.

Olympia, Washington-based Fish Brewing Company announced Tuesday that it has been sold to Josh Carrigan and Kate Craig after entering receivership earlier this year, the Olympian reported. Bloomington, Minnesota-headquartered Granite City Food & Brewery announced Tuesday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The owners of Barley Forge Brewing agreed on Wednesday to sell their business to the owners of Green Cheek Beer Co.

Costa Rica-headquartered FIFCO today named beverage industry veteran Rich Andrews as the next CEO of FIFCO USA. Andrews will supplant Adrian Lachowski, whose planned exit from the company was announced last week.

With just one month left in 2019, off-premise beer dollar and volume sales appear poised to finish in the black. Through the first 11 months of 2019, off-premise beer category dollar sales in multi-outlet and convenience stores tracked by market research firm IRI are up 5.2%, to nearly $34.5 billion, while volume sales are up 2.3%. The largest dollar sales growth in 2019 thus far has come from flavored malt beverages, including hard seltzers.

Beer, wine and spirits companies are a signature away from another year of federal excise tax relief. The U.S. Senate today passed a tax extender package that includes a one-year extension of the tax relief in the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CMBTRA) that was slated to expire at the end of 2019.

Dennis and Tauna Arnold, owners of Tucson, Arizona-based Barrio Brewing, announced plans Tuesday to sell 100% of their company to employees in a self-funded employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

New Belgium Brewing Company’s employee owners have voted in favor of selling the company to Kirin-owned Lion Little World Beverages despite concerns over the Japanese beer giant’s business dealings in Myanmar.