A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has signed a “Modified Final Judgment” that officially clears Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $100 billion purchase of rival SABMiller more than two years after the Department of Justice initially green-lit the acquisition. U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on Monday ruled that A-B InBev complied with requirements of the Antitrust Procedures and Penalties Act, and he approved a number of new conditions that he said are “in the public interest.”
Cincinnati’s Fifty West Brewing Company has quickly established itself as brand to watch. The Ohio-based craft brewery, which opened its doors in 2012, topped market research firm IRI’s list of new vendors in supermarkets, with off-premise dollar sales of nearly $214,000, for the 27 weeks ending July 8, IRI director of client insights Patrick Livingston shared during last month’s Brewers Association Power Hour.
Craft beer wholesaler Cavalier Distributing has acquired the distribution rights to “all suppliers” within the portfolio of Florida-based Micro Man Distributors. According to a letter sent by Cavalier founder and president George Fisher, that was addressed to its Florida beer suppliers, the transaction closed on Monday, October 22. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Constellation Brands has succeeded in forcing two more Southern California beer wholesalers to sell the rights to distribute the company’s beer offerings to the Reyes Beverage Group. In separate deals, Reyes acquired the rights to sell Constellation’s offerings — including popular imported Mexican beer labels Corona, Modelo and Pacifico as well as craft offerings from Ballast Point — from Triangle Beverage in Santa Fe Springs and Beauchamp Distributing Company in Compton. The long-rumored deals officially closed on Friday, October 19, according to Constellation spokeswoman Jamie Stein.
In this week’s Last Call: Canada lifts its tariff on U.S. aluminum cans; farmers and brewers downplay climate change’s effect on beer production and pricing; the Brewers Association lands Iron Maiden’s singer as CBC keynote speaker; and more news from the week.
The former leaders of Saint Archer Brewing Company are back in the booze business after raising nearly $4 million to launch three separate beer, wine and distribution ventures. Anchored under Ocotillo Holdings LLC, the first of the three businesses — Scout Distribution, a craft-focused beer and wine wholesaler — officially launched Wednesday in San Diego. Led by Saint Archer co-founder Josh Landan, ex-VP Jeff Hansson and ex-market manager Anthony Levas, Scout Distribution will act as both a boutique wholesaler and a marketing consultancy.
After nearly 13 years at the helm of Rogue Ales & Spirits, owner and president Brett Joyce will depart the company at the end of the year. Current general manager Dharma Tamm, who joined the Oregon-headquartered organization in January 2017, will supplant Joyce. Speaking to Brewbound, the 45-year-old Joyce, who will maintain an ownership stake and remain on the company’s board, cited personal reasons for the decision to step away from the day-to-day operations.
In episode six of the Brewbound Podcast, editor Chris Furnari and Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione discuss how his company is “navigating the noise” of 7,000 small breweries, how other craft breweries can grow without taking on too much debt, and how Dogfish Head has financed its own expansion in recent years. Calagione also explains the benefits of remaining a small, taproom-focused brewery in today’s competitive marketplace, why he is bullish on the Brewers Association’s independent craft brewer seal, and how he envisions the marketplace evolving in the coming years.
Rob Sands will step down as CEO of Constellation Brands on March 1, 2019, the New York-based alcohol beverage company announced today. Assuming the role from Sands will be Bill Newlands, who joined Constellation as chief growth officer in 2015 and took over as president from Sands in February.
Brewbound, a leading trade publication covering the beer industry, today announced the next wave of speakers who will take the main stage during its two-day Brewbound Live business conference in November. Newly announced speakers include Three Weavers Brewing founder Lynne Weaver, Melvin Brewing co-founder Jeremy Tofte and Brooklyn Brewery CEO Eric Ottaway, among others.
In a move that will expand its U.S. distribution footprint to 29 states, Brooklyn Brewery announced Monday that it would begin selling beer in Colorado next month. The New York-based craft brewery, which also sells its products in 30 countries, is partnering with Elite Brands on the Front Range and High Country Beverage in Northern Colorado and the Western Slope. It plans to sell flagship Brooklyn Lager, as well as Bel Air Sour, Defender IPA, seasonal offerings, and draft-only releases.
Following a bankruptcy auction held last Friday, Pennsylvania’s Helltown Brewery has emerged as the highest bidder for a majority of the assets of Pittsburgh’s Rivertowne Brewing. After filing for bankruptcy in May, Rivertowne was put up for auction earlier this month with bids starting at $1.35 million. Helltown placed the winning bid of $2.1 million for Rivertowne’s Export, Pennsylvania-based brewery and land, as well as assets at its Verona and Monroeville brewpubs. The company, which acquired the Rivertowne brand through the auction and plans on continuing to brew some of its labels, is still awaiting final approval from a judge overseeing the case.
Remarkable Liquids, a craft beer-focused wholesaler based in Albany, New York, has expanded beyond its borders. The company last week announced that it had launched statewide distribution of 15 brands in neighboring New Jersey. Interest from Remarkable’s existing suppliers, as well as Garden State retailers, pushed the distributor to expand its service area outside of its home state, according to partner Matt Hartman.
William “Bill” Coors, the former chairman of the Adolph Coors Company, died Saturday at the age of 102. Coors, the grandson of Adolph Coors and heir to the family brewing business, died at his home, according to a statement released by Molson Coors. “Our company stands on the shoulders of giants like Bill Coors,” Molson Coors president and CEO Mark Hunter said in statement.
