The Reyes Beverage Group, the largest beer wholesaler in the U.S., announced today its third California wholesaler acquisition of the year, with the planned purchase of W.A. Thompson. The acquisition of Bakersfield-based W.A. Thompson will add 7.1 million case equivalents and 2,500 accounts to Reyes subsidiary Harbor Distributing, according to a press release. The deal is expected to close in early December.
Although the pace of dealmaking among breweries has slowed in recent years, consolidation in the middle tier continues, as wholesalers in New York and Colorado recently struck deals. In New York, Buffalo-based Certo Brothers Distributing has sold to Wright Beverage, and in Colorado, RMC Distributing announced Friday that it had sold to KEG 1.
Constellation Brands has once again promoted Mallika Monteiro. Last Friday, the New York-headquartered maker of Mexican import brands Corona, Modelo and Pacifico appointed Monteiro as executive vice president and chief growth and strategy officer. Meanwhile, Ceria Beverages, which makes THC-infused, non-alcoholic beers, has appointed Greg Miller as its first vice president of business development.
Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Consortia has announced the launch of Jägermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale, an American strong ale brewed in collaboration with the makers of Jägermeister. Meanwhile, New Belgium Brewing Company and High Brew Coffee are collaborating on new coffee beer. And Superfluid Supply Company, a new subsidiary of Short’s Brewing, today announced the release of Beaches Hard Seltzer.
After three decades, Odell Brewing’s founders — Wynne, Doug and Corkie Odell — plan to exit the brewery’s day-to-day operations starting in January 2020, as part of a planned leadership transition. The employee-owned, Fort Collins, Colorado-headquartered craft brewery will turn to chief sales and marketing officer Eric “Smitty” Smith as its next chief executive officer.
Constellation Brands will enter the booming hard seltzer category next spring with a Corona branded spiked seltzer, CEO Bill Newlands said during the company’s second-quarter earnings call Thursday.
Three Colorado breweries — Renegade Brewing, Good River Beer and Rocky Mountain Sector — have merged to create the Brewer’s Co-Hop, a new business venture that will share a production facility and back-of-house resources in Denver.
Crook & Marker will launch four new, sugar-free hard sodas in two test markets this month, with plans to take the line national early next year. The products will initially be available in off-premise retailers in Wisconsin and Montana.
Two of Pennsylvania’s most iconic businesses — D.G. Yuengling & Son and The Hershey Company — are linking up on a fall beer release, Chocolate Porter. Meanwhile, Brooklyn Brewery is betting on non-alcoholic beer catching on in the U.S., bringing its non-alcoholic hoppy lager offering, Special Effects, to select U.S. markets this fall.
Early stage companies can explore tactics to incorporate into their business strategy at Brewbound Live’s Crash Course. Seasoned experts will share best practices for capital raising, brand building, marketing, sales planning and trademark law. The classroom-style sessions will take place on the first half-day of the event.
Small and independent U.S craft brewers generated $79.1 billion in economic impact in 2018, which represented roughly 0.4 percent of the gross domestic product, according to industry trade group the Brewers Association’s (BA) 2018 Economic Impact Report.
California’s beer distribution system is being shaken up once again. Anheuser-Busch InBev announced Friday evening the planned acquisition of “key assets” from Markstein Beverage Co. in San Marcos, California. The company will add those assets to its existing wholly owned distributor, Anheuser-Busch Sales of San Diego.
In this week’s Last Call: A-B’s Natural Light Hard Seltzer and Big 12 Conference Announce Partnership; Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors Corn Syrup Lawsuit Continues; MillerCoors to Launch 4 New Beers in 2020; August US Beer Shipments Decline
Dave Marliave of Flat Tail Brewing Co. was at the Great American Beer Festival when he learned his brewery had just won a gold medal. “I would say I was speechless,” Marliave recalled. “But the reaction was quite the opposite. I jumped out of my chair and tried to stop crying before I got to the stage.”
