Shipyard Brewing has appointed David Phillips as chief operating officer; Joe Heaton will depart the Beer Institute after serving as senior director of federal affairs for the national trade organization; and Constellation Brands has appointed Liz Lopez as VP of public affairs to lead on issues related to cannabis policy in the U.S.
Brewbound’s Brew Talks meetup series returns live and in-person Thursday, September 9, during the Craft Brewers Conference in Denver. Industry leaders will meet for an afternoon session of networking, beers and high-level conversations at a soon-to-be-disclosed venue. The meeting will take place from 1-4 p.m. MT.
Newly appointed Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Michel Doukeris hosted his first earnings conference call today since taking the reins earlier this month from predecessor Carlos Brito. “Throughout my 25 years at the company, I’ve had the privilege to lead our business across different regions of the world, working alongside the industry’s most talented and passionate colleagues every step of the way,” Doukeris said. “Stepping into this role, I look forward to working together with the team to collectively drive our business into this next chapter.”
Molson Coors Beverage Company CEO Gavin Hattersley stressed that the “outcomes” of the company’s 2-year-old revitalization plan are beginning to materialize. Those outcomes became frequent talking points during the company’s second quarter 2021 earnings report.
Leaders of the movement that helped bring to light stories from women in the beer industry who have experienced sexual harassment and assaults, toxic workplaces and misogyny, join Brewbound Frontlines to discuss their work and its future.
Spirits and Mexican import beer giant Constellation Brands put its official stamp of interest on the trend by investing in HOP WTR, an emerging brand of zero-calorie sparkling water infused with the fruity bittering agents as well as some on-trend functional or adaptogenic ingredients like L-Theanine (potentially providing relaxation and focus) and Ashwagandha (a purported stress reliever).
Craft breweries will have to do more than brew and sell a batch and donate proceeds from it to join the newest cause-driven global collaboration beer project. The organizers behind Brave Noise, a collaborative project “advocating for safe spaces and inclusive environments” in the beer industry, are asking participants to create and publish a code of conduct for employees and patrons, as well as donate the majority of the beer’s sales to an organization that supports the project’s mission.
Two Floridians are seeking class certification of a lawsuit filed last year against Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned Veza Sur Brewing that alleges that the world’s largest beer manufacturer is deceiving customers by positioning the Miami-based offshoot as a craft brewery.
San Franciscans will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result to sit indoors at bars following new guidance from the San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance. “The San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance is extremely concerned by a recent uptick in cases of COIVD-19 among our staff members, especially those who are fully vaccinated,” the organization wrote in a statement.
Maui Brewing Company has appointed Scott Metzger as its next chief operating officer. Metzger, who founded Freetail Brewing Company in San Antonio, most recently served as general manager at Wormtown Brewery in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Two people have died and a third was injured in a shooting at the home of George Taylor III, the chief operating officer of TRU Colors, in Wilmington, North Carolina. TRU Colors, which Molson Coors acquired an equity stake in April, was founded by Taylor’s father, George Taylor — a tech entrepreneur and former Untappd chairman — and leaders of the Bloods, Crips and GD (Gangster Disciples) gangs. The company employs active members of rival gangs “to bridge divides and create economic opportunity, all while teaching life skills with professional training,” according to TRU Colors’ website.
Oskar Blues founder Dale Katechis made waves this month when he announced he was joining Veritas Fine Cannabis as an equity stakeholder and team member. The craft beer pioneer told Brewbound the cannabis industry piqued his interest several years ago, but it wasn’t until a friend from childhood who is now an investment banker introduced him to the Veritas team that he was ready to jump.
The beer category didn’t see fireworks in off-premise retail sales this July 4, market research firm NielsenIQ reported. “For the biggest beer holiday of the year, the category had lackluster performance in the off-premise channels this year, with dollar sales down -5.1% compared to last year, and up +7% compared to 2019, which was driven in great part by beyond beer segments,” NielsenIQ vice president of beverage alcohol practice Danelle Kosmal wrote.
Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers’ transition into the Sheehan Family Companies network will now include New York and New Jersey, the Framingham, Massachusetts-based craft brewery announced today.
