Buffalo Wild Wings Launches Alcohol Delivery in California
After test piloting a beer carryout program in Ohio and Wisconsin last summer, Buffalo Wild Wings has begun delivering beer and wine at 19 California restaurants.
Buffalo Wild Wings’ program will allow customers 21 and up to add alcoholic beverages to their DoorDash at-home deliveries and takeout orders from stores in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Diego. The company added that it is hoping to roll out the program in additional markets.
According to the wing chain, customers will be able to build their own 6-packs of domestic, craft and imported beers, including Bud Light, Coors Light, Michelob Ultra, Miller Lite, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Corona Extra, Lagunitas 12th of Never, and Stone Delicious IPA, among others.
Buffalo Wild Wings, which was sold to Arby’s in November, is attempting to boost sluggish sales and offset high chicken wing costs.
Old Town Brewing, Portland Mayor Reach Agreement on Logo Use
After locking horns in a trademark dispute over the use of a leaping deer depicted in Portland, Oregon’s iconic downtown neon sign, Old Town Brewing and Mayor Ted Wheeler have reached a five-year agreement to allow the city to use the logo.
As part of the agreement, the city will amend its pending trademark applications to exclude beer, wine and liquor, and Old Town has agreed not to object to the amended application or the city’s licensing of the Portland, Oregon, sign for use outside of alcoholic beverages.
“I am pleased that we have arrived at a mutually beneficial solution that ensures the City of Portland can effectively protect the Portland sign as a landmark, while also protecting the trademark rights of Old Town Brewing,” Wheeler said in a press release.
“Once the Mayor directly engaged on the issue, we felt an immediate difference in the tone and tenor of the negotiations,” Old Town founder Adam Milne said in a press release. “I appreciate his support of local small businesses and of Portland craft brewing.”
The deal will allow the city to grant use of the image for advertising purposes only to festivals and events as well to alcoholic beverage trade organizations. However, the jumping stag cannot be included on product labels or packaging. Read the full agreement here.
Study: Alcohol Sales Lag in Medical Marijuana States
A decade-long study by researchers from two U.S. universities and one in South America found that monthly alcohol sales decreased about 15 percent in counties where medical marijuana is legal, according to Forbes.
The study, which tracked Nielsen Retail Scanner alcohol sales data for 90 chain stores between 2006 and 2015, concluded that marijuana and alcohol are strong substitutes for each other. However, the study failed to answer whether legalized marijuana would completely replace alcohol consumption for some users. Read more on the study here.
Ex-Ballast Point Execs Acquire Majority Interest in Sol-ti
Sol-Ti from founder Ryne O’Donnell has sold a majority interest in the organic drinks company to former Ballast Point Brewing Company founder Jack White and ex-CEO Jim Buechler. The pair previously owned minority stakes in the Sol-ti business.
In a message to Brewbound, O’Donnell wrote that while he sold a majority of his stake in Sol-ti before moving to Costa Rica to launch a new business, he would remain the third largest shareholder in the business. However, he added, he is no longer involved in the company’s day-to-day operations.
“With Jack and Jim’s expertise growing beverage companies, I’m confident in their abilities to make Sol-ti thrive in the long term,” O’Donnell wrote.
Indiana House, Senate Pass Sunday Alcohol Sales Bills
The state of Indiana is one step closer to allowing carryout sales of alcohol on Sundays, after the House and Senate each passed bills earlier this week, the Indianapolis Star reported.
Both pieces of legislation — Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 1051 — would allow grocery, convenience, big box and liquor stores to sell alcoholic beverages Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. Those bills will now be heard by the other chamber and, if approved, advance to the governor’s desk.
“I remain cautiously optimistic about its future,” Rep. Ben Smaltz told the outlet.
However, support for extending cold beer sales to grocery and convenience stores does not exist.
Night Shift Distributing Adds New Clients
Massachusetts’ Night Shift Distributing has added three more breweries — Brooklyn’s Interboro Spirits and Ales, North Carolina’s Trophy Brewing Co. and Massachusetts’ The Tap Brewing Company — to its portfolio.
Offerings from those three brands will begin appearing on shelves in the Boston area in the coming weeks. Those breweries join a Night Shift Distributing portfolio that includes Night Shift’s own brands, as well as offerings from Pipeworks, Destihl, and Ghostfish Brewing, among others.
Down the Road Releases Beer Aid Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Efforts
Massachusetts’ Down the Road Beer Co. is donating all of the proceeds from the release of its Relief Gose to hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico. The Everett-based beer company will host a release party for the beer today (January 25) at its brewery that will also feature Puerto Rican food, live music and salsa lesson. More details on the release are included here.