Top Features

Brown-Forman has announced an agreement to sell Finlandia vodka to Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (HBC) for $220 million.

Leveraging learnings from the last 50 years was the theme of the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) annual conference held in Chicago this week.

As the Bud Light brand continues to lose sales and share amid conservative-led backlash over a one-off social media influencer partnership with a transgender woman, the company is now pledging financial support for its wholesaler partners, according to a 6K filing with the SEC.

Analysts from 3 Tier Beverages and CGA by NIQ shared a “surprising” and optimistic story about beer’s performance in on- and off-premise channels Thursday, during a webinar hosted by the Beer Institute (BI).

The combination of two of New Jersey’s largest craft breweries is off. The transaction announced in April that would combine Cape May Brewing Company, the Garden State’s largest craft brewery, and Flying Fish, one of the oldest, is a no-go.

Tilray Brands, the parent company of SweetWater and Montauk, has launched Good Supply Easy Lager, a 4.2% ABV premium light lager.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for beer both at home (+6.1%) and away from home (+5%) outpaced overall inflation (+4%) once again in May 2023 compared to May 2022, before seasonal adjustment, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

An assembly hearing is scheduled today in Wisconsin for a 156-page bill which would make more than 20 changes to the Badger State’s alcohol laws, including expanded retail allowances for breweries.

Lawson’s Finest Liquids has named Adeline Druart as the 15-year-old Vermont craft brewery’s second CEO. Lawson’s founders Sean and Karen Lawson made the hire public today, appointing Druart as the successor to Sean Lawson.

The Brewbound team breaks down the latest headlines, including Ken Grossman’s return to Sierra Nevada as interim CEO, Bayou City Hemp’s acquisition of 8th Wonder in Houston, and Wall Street analysts’ survey of distributors that paint a bleak picture for Bud Light.

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.

An estimated 15.9 million barrels of beer and malt products were shipped to wholesalers in April, a -4.5% decline (or -741,163 barrels of beer) versus April 2022, Beer Institute (BI) VP of research Danelle Kosmal reported in the trade group’s monthly economic report.