Avery Brewing CEO Elton Andres Knight has been named CEO of Founders Brewing Co., the Grand Rapids, Michigan-headquartered sister brewery of Boulder, Colorado-based Avery. Knight’s first day in his expanded role was today (February 1).
Knight takes over for Mike Stevens, who announced on January 19 that he would step down as CEO and transition to a board role with the brewery. Founders co-founder Dave Engbers will continue on in his role as president and will assume the responsibilities of board chairman.
Knight has worked in the beverage industry for more than 15 years, joining Founders’ parent company Mahou San Miguel in 2014. In 2019, he was appointed CEO of Avery, another Mahou subsidiary. He will maintain that role as well as his new Founders position, according to the company.
“I could not be more grateful to accept the position as CEO to this well-established and well-loved brewery,” Knight said in a press release. “Founders employs an extremely talented team and has a long history of impressive innovation within the craft market. I’m honored for the opportunity to lead this exceptional company and to build on that momentum through 2022 and beyond.”
Founders said Knight will work with board members from both Avery and Founders over the coming months “to ensure a smooth transition.”
In January, Founders said Stevens would step down from his role as CEO to “pursue other personal ambitions and spend more time with his family.” Erik d’Auchamp, Mahou director of international business, assumed the duties of CEO in the interim.
“Elton is a seasoned senior executive in the beverage industry who will drive continued improvement for Founders, our distributors, clients and consumers,” d’Auchamp said in the release. “He has a unique combination of skills and experience that really make him a perfect fit for the role. At the same time, he has an unparalleled understanding of the markets we serve, as well as the vision to grow in our competitive, rapidly evolving industry.”
Stevens and Engbers launched Founders in 1997. The company produced 592,000 barrels of beer in 2020, a +2% increase, according to the Brewers Association. In 2021, off-premise sales of Founders’ portfolio declined -9.9% compared to 2020, as the company cycled pandemic-driven shifts in purchasing from on-premise retailers to off-premise, according to market research firm IRI. Nevertheless, Founders’ $128.6 million in sales made it the 18th largest beer category vendor in the off-premise, IRI reported.
In 2018, Founders faced accusations that the brewery tolerated “racist internal corporate culture,” stemming from a now-settled racial discrimination lawsuit from a former employee.