Pabst Brewing is making changes to its c-suite, including the appointment of Greig DeBow as CEO, effective August 11.
DeBow succeeds Paul Chibe, who had been in the CEO role since December 2021.
A former Pabst EVP of national accounts from 2015 to 2019, DeBow most recently served as chief commercial and operating officer at nutrition supplement producer 1st Phorm International. His resume includes leadership roles at Zevia, Jack Link’s, Danone, PepsiCo, Red Bull North America and Standard Beverage Corporation.
Pabst chairman of the board Eugene Kashper said in the announcement: “We are thrilled to welcome Greig back to Pabst. During his tenure, Greig developed strong relationships across the organization and demonstrated a deep understanding of the business, the brands, and the Pabst culture.
“Greig’s return reflects our confidence in his leadership and our commitment to building a company that is both innovative and deeply rooted in Pabst culture. Under Greig’s leadership, Pabst will be focused on harnessing the power of our brands and our people to drive exciting innovation and growth.”
DeBow added: “Pabst is a very special place, and I know that together, as one team, we’ll be able to realize the opportunities before us, forge meaningful connections with consumers, and take these brands to new heights.”
Pabst ranked as the fifth-largest brewing company in 2024, producing 3.1 million barrels of beer, a 5.6% decline compared to 2023. The company held a 1.6% share of the beer category last year.
In addition to DeBow’s hiring, Michael Levitt, a partner in the brewer’s parent company, Blue Ribbon Partners, and board member, will be taking over as interim CFO, the company announced. Levitt takes over for Tim Tulfur, who is exiting the company after nearly three years.
A search for a permanent CFO will commence soon, the company said.
“Under Paul and Tim’s leadership, Pabst navigated a challenging environment and laid important groundwork for the company’s future,” Kashper said in the release. “We are thankful for Paul’s and Tim’s dedication and contributions, and we wish them every success in their future endeavors.”
Year-to-date (YTD) through July 13, Pabst has posted nearly $277.6 million in off-premise dollar sales tracked by market research firm Circana. The company ranked as the ninth-largest beer category vendor, holding a 1.17% share of category dollar sales.
Pabst’s dollar sales (-9.4%) and volume (-9.7%), measured in case sales, are both in the red YTD. Those trends have improved slightly in the latest four-week period (-7.4% dollars, -7.2% volume).
The company’s top-selling brand, Pabst Blue Ribbon, is down double digits in dollars (-10.2%) and volume (-10.6%) YTD. With more than $130.67 million in off-premise sales, the brand ranked as the 26th best-selling beer brand in off-premise retail.