In the face of declining on- and off-premise retail sales, California’s Hangar 24 Brewing terminated about half of its production staff last Friday, brewery founder Ben Cook confirmed to Brewbound.
Portland, Oregon-headquartered Columbia Distributing will acquire a majority of the assets from Graybeal Distributing in Eastern Oregon. A purchase price was not disclosed.
More than a year after launching beer deliveries throughout Phoenix, Arizona, Pizza Hut today announced plans to expand the service into 1,000 stores by mid-2019. The national pizza chain, owned by Yum Brands, said it would expand its beer delivery service into five new states — Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina and Ohio — by mid-January.
Craft Brew Alliance has extended CEO Andy Thomas’ employment contract for another three years, according to an SEC filing. Thomas’ new contract, which is slated to terminate on December 31, 2021, replaces a previous agreement that was scheduled to expire on June 30, 2019.
In this week’s edition of Last Call: MillerCoors sells its Eden facility for $2.75 million; Reyes acquires 2.5 million cases from Mission Beverage; Blue Moon is named the “Official Craft Beer” of the Kentucky Derby; and more industry news.
The Brewers Association (BA) has awarded more than a half a million dollars in research grants to groups focused on barley and hops development. The BA, a not-for-profit trade group representing the interests of small and independent U.S. beer companies, said the 17 grants given through its Research and Service Grants Program would “further the development of a healthy and sustainable raw materials supply chain.”
In episode 17 of the Brewbound Podcast, Campbell discusses the Brut IPA trend, how Brewery Ommegang plans to help build awareness around the new style, and the challenges of building an entirely new product category. He also discusses strategies for executing successful partnerships – such as the one Ommegang had with HBO and the Game of Thrones series – as well as a consumer shift toward prioritizing proximity over quality when making purchasing decisions.
In the latest Legislative Update: Michigan enacts new requirements for satellite facilities; South Carolina brewers attempt legislative reform; full-strength beer is now available in Colorado; and more lawmaking moves.
2018 was undoubtedly a challenging year for a number of U.S. beer companies. The year was marked by layoffs, brewery closures and sluggish sales as more than 7,000 breweries battled for shrinking market share. As beer professionals throughout the country prepare to flip their calendars to 2019, let’s take a look back at three of the most notable storylines that helped shape the narrative this year.
Industry headwinds, brewery acquisitions, the emerging cannabis sector, and the seemingly never ending battle between big and small beer makers were the focus of Brewbound’s most-read stories of 2018.
Off-premise retail beer sales in the U.S. eclipsed $32 billion through December 2, according to market research firm IRI. The Chicago-based group, which tracks sales at multi-outlet and convenience stores, recently reported that dollar sales of beer were up 1.7 percent year-to-date.
In this week’s edition of Last Call: Utah enacts new drunk driving limit; cannabis bars are coming to West Hollywood; Ray Faust lands at Crook & Marker; Buffalo Wild Wings unveils new store designs; Anheuser-Busch responds to Iowa State fans’ thirst for Busch Light; and more industry news.
In episode 16 of the Brewbound Podcast, Brooklyn Brewery CEO Eric Ottaway discusses the growing consumer interest in low- and no-alcohol products, the overall state of the beer business, his company’s global partnership strategy and the shrinking international opportunities for U.S. craft breweries.
Nearly a month after Diversified Metal Engineering (DME) entered into receivership, a Texas craft brewery that paid the Canadian brewing equipment manufacturer more than $1 million in deposits is ceasing operations. In a December 21 social media post, Big Bend Brewing Co. announced it would “suspend operations” after six years, and shutter its taproom effective December 31.
