The gang of four — Andy Thomas, Luis Duran, Ken Kunze and Willem van der Hoeven — sat around a table and listened to the pitch by Euro RSCG. The marketing firm had this idea for Heineken-owned Dos Equis, previously marketed as a Mexican beer for young people. But their idea didn’t rely on Mexican… Read more »
As the Corona commercials it’s paid for suggest, Constellation Brands has found its beach in Piedras Negras — and maybe a much bigger beachhead, as well. After landing the U.S. rights to the Grupo Modelo brands as part of a Justice Department forced carve-out of Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $20.1 billion purchase of the maker of Corona… Read more »
It’s just a small portion of the overall beer industry, but sales of gluten-free craft offerings are increasing. With the entire market for gluten-free foods and beverages approaching $5 billion in annual sales, some craft brewers are beginning to recognize the new growth opportunities. Among those benefiting from the recent surge in sales is Boulder,… Read more »
New Belgium Brewing is making good on its promise to be distributed in all 50 states by 2018. Bryan Simpson, a spokesman for the Fort Collins, Colo.-based craft brewery confirmed the company’s plans to expand distribution into Ohio this December. New Belgium will officially announce its wholesale partners in October.
Ninkasi Brewing today announced expanded distribution throughout Southern California. The Eugene, Ore.-based craft brewery has signed agreement with six independent wholesalers in Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego County to distribute its flagship and limited release offerings in 22 oz. bottles and kegs.
Steve Hindy might be best known for his work as the co-founder of Brooklyn Brewery, but it’s his second career. In the mid-1980s he was employed as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press, stationed in the Middle East during the Iran-Iraq War. A lot happened during Hindy’s time abroad.
With the flurry of activity surrounding the craft beer industry these days, it can be difficult to stay abreast of the latest small brewery developments — at least without checking out your press clips. Here’s what the mainstream news media had to say about craft this week.
As the craft beer industry keeps growing, the domestic beer industry continues to show ominous signs. Gallup, a global analytics provider, doesn’t separate the two industries in its latest statistical breakdown, but with all of the numbers pointing toward craft’s ascension, these numbers seem especially ominous for big brewers.
During its second quarter earnings call, Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) advised investors that, despite a sluggish start to 2013, the company rebounded and saw depletion growth of 12 percent and non-contract shipment gains of 13.5 percent. The stronger second quarter shipments-to-retailers (STR’s) and overall volume production growth has CBA executives feeling much more positive about… Read more »
Craft has a significant following in California, as evidenced by the craft beer markets in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, but there’s untapped potential remaining. Meanwhile, Sacramento, a city commonly known for what’s not there compared to what is, has started catching onto what the other major Californian cities have so heartily embraced.
Over the years, Duvel Moortgat has grown through international acquisition. In the last 10 years alone, the company has bought Brewery Ommegang, Brasserie d’Achouffe, Brouwerij Liefmans and Brouwerij De Koninck. Now, however, the Belgium-based brewing company is looking to strengthen its position in the U.S. craft beer market by purchasing other American breweries.
In the craft beer community, there are few pilgrimages more revered than the trip to upstate New York for Duvel Moortgat USA and Brewery Ommegang’s annual Belgium Comes to Cooperstown (BCTC) beer festival. The brewery barely breaks even on the event, but the word of mouth and positive vibes can be astonishing.
Is private equity investment in the craft beer business something that brewers should fear? Will the involvement of more sophisticated forms of investment capital necessarily lead to the downfall of the craft beer movement? Seasoned investor Craig Farlie weighs in.
A report from research firm Consumer Edge Insight indicates the ballooning preference of consumers for heavier beers. That’s shown not through a lineup of even more craft beer style holidays, like IPA Day, but through a decline in consumers’ taste for light beer, long the best-selling premium style.
