Athletic Achieves B-Corp Status
Non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing Company has achieved Certified B Corporation status, which the organization says means a “business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.”
“Being able to identify as a B Corp business means, to me, that we are on the right track in terms of how we operate our business, internally and externally, and that we have made the challenging decision to be objective and accountable so we can do better every day,” Athletic co-founder John Walker said in an announcement.
As part of that mission, Athletic donates 2% of the sales from every product sold to protecting and restoring local trails via its Two for the Trails initiative.
Minnesota House Passes Growler Bill
Minnesota’s largest craft brewers are one step closer to restrictions being lifted on growlers following the state’s House of Representatives passing a bill that would lift the production volume cap for breweries to sell growlers to-go from 20,000 barrels to 150,000 barrels, according to the Duluth News Tribune.
Additionally, the legislation would allow breweries producing fewer than 7,500 barrels to sell an additional 128 oz. in cans to-go per customer per day.
The state House and Senate, which passed a less extensive liquor law reform bill, must reconcile the differences in the legislation before it can advance to the governor.
Beer Institute Taps Korn Ferry in President Search
The Beer Institute (BI) has retained search firm Korn Ferry and its vice chairman and co-leader Nels Olson in its search for a new president of the trade organization, BI chairman Gavin Hattersley shared in a member update.
The BI is searching for its next leader following the departure of president and CEO Jim McGreevy in early May to become VP of public policy, federal government relations and political engagement for the Coca-Cola Company’s North America Political Action Committees.
Eight years ago, Olson and Korn Ferry headed the search that led to McGreevy’s hiring at the BI, and the trade group has worked with the firm “several times in the past,” wrote Hattersley, who is also president and CEO of Molson Coors Beverage Company.
“We intend to work with the Korn Ferry team to ensure there is a comprehensive view of the qualities that are needed to guide the Beer Institute and the beer industry into the future,” Hattersley added. “As I shared previously, the input, concerns and advice of all BI members are welcomed in this process.”
The BI board is expected to meet with Olson and the Korn Ferry team in the coming weeks.
Mark Anthony Opens South Carolina Production Facility
Mark Anthony Brands has opened its new $490 million production facility in Columbia, South Carolina, according to Fox 57.
The 1.3 million sq. ft. facility will produce White Claw hard seltzer, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Cayman Jack and MXD products. The project is expected to create 310 jobs.
Molson Coors Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Vizzy Health Claims
Molson Coors is facing a federal class action lawsuit for allegedly advertising health benefits of its Vizzy Hard Seltzer brand. The complaint — filed May 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Fort Lauderdale Division — cites Molson Coors’ promotion of the product containing “antioxidant Vitamin C from acerola superfruit” and contends that the product offers no health benefits and the “addition of antioxidants and superfruit to alcohol is misleading and in violation of the law.”
Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that Vizzy’s Watermelon Strawberry flavor is misleading because it “lacks a hint of watermelon,” as watermelon is not identified in the ingredient panel.
The plaintiff, Evvie Eyzaguirre, is described as a Florida citizen who likes “eating healthy” and also “moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages on occasion.” Although Eyzaguirre “knows consuming alcohol isn’t the best thing,” she claimed “the promotion of antioxidants caused her to choose and consume Vizzy, because the added vitamin C made her feel like she was consuming a product with beneficial ingredients,” the lawsuit said.
Rogue Ales Begins Canning F*#K Putin Beer
Oregon’s Rogue Ales & Spirits has begun canning its F*#K Putin double IPA and is offering the beer via shipping to 27 states and Washington, D.C. The beer was previously available only via draft.
All proceeds from the beer as well as merchandise will be donated to the Global Giving Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, which supports local nonprofits with food, medical supplies and more.
Jodi Harris, A-B InBev Marketing Exec, Dies at 46
Jodi Harris, Anheuser-Busch InBev’s global VP of marketing culture and capabilities, died of lung cancer on May 2 at age 46.
Harris worked for more than a decade for the world’s largest beer manufacturer, previously serving as VP of marketing culture and learning and VP of consumer insights in the U.S. She previously worked for Diageo and Ann Taylor.
In an obituary, AdAge wrote that Harris’ “work is reflected in the brewer being named Cannes Lions 2022 Creative Marketer of the Year.” The piece includes several tributes, including from Marcel Marcondes, A-B InBev’s global CMO. Read the full obituary here.
North Carolina Authorities Send C&Ds to Out-of-State-Retailers
The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has issued cease-and-desist letters to several out-of-state retailers for shipping liquor into the state, according to a press release from the North Carolina Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association.
Those C&D letters were issued to Frootbat (Lewes, DE), Irokos Group (Millbury, MA), LaPresa Liquor & Deli/The Barrel Tap (Spring Valley, CA), Mission Trails Market/ SipWhiskey.com (San Diego, CA), Caskers (Albany, NY) and Vino Fine Wine and Spirits (New York, NY). Those retailers have 30 days to show they have paid state taxes in North Carolina.
“The out-of-state alcohol retailers are reminded that a violation of this nature is a felony under North Carolina law and that the NC Attorney General is authorized to take action through the Federal court system,” the wholesaler group wrote.
North Carolina makes it illegal for out-of-state retailers or wholesalers who sell alcoholic beverages to ship alcohol directly to North Carolina residents who do not hold a wholesaler’s permit.