Oakland-based Valley Distributors this week announced plans to acquire Lewiston-based Federal Distributors. Specific financial terms of the transaction, which is expected to close during the first quarter of 2018, were not disclosed. Combined, the two companies — which will now operate under the newly created “Valley Beverage” name — will distribute upwards of 4 million cases of beer in 2017.
In our latest Legislative Update: Indiana considers Sunday sales; the Georgia Department of Revenue discusses digital transactions; West Sixth Brewery co-founder is chosen to lead the Kentucky Democratic Party; and more.
For the first time ever, beer excise tax reductions have been included in a comprehensive federal tax reform proposal. On Tuesday night, U.S. Senate Finance Committee chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) released a “Chairman’s Mark” to the Senate GOP’s version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
In a move toward diversifying its portfolio and reaching spirits consumers, Pabst Brewing Company today announced a foray into the crafts spirits space with the launch of Not Your Father’s Bourbon. The 86 proof (43 percent ABV), small-batch bourbon is the first product to be launched in a new line of spirits under the Not Your Father’s label, which includes the popular Not Your Father’s Root Beer flavored malt beverage as well as hard vanilla cream and ginger ale offerings, among others.
Craft Brew Alliance made good on last week’s promise to revisit its brewpub strategy, yesterday announcing plans to shift away from a restaurant-focused brewpub model at the Widmer Brothers brewery in Portland, Oregon. In a post on the brand’s Facebook page, CBA said it would eliminate its full-service kitchen to make way for expanded small-batch brewing capabilities inside of a recently built 10-barrel innovation brewery that opened about 15 months ago.
North Carolina’s Catawba Brewing Co. has reached an agreement to acquire Charleston, South Carolina-based Palmetto Brewing Co. Catawba co-founder Billy Pyatt told Brewbound that his company will acquire “100 percent” of Palmetto’s assets and hopes to close on the transaction by the end of the year.
Anheuser-Busch InBev is once again shaking up its North American executive leadership team, today announcing the appointment of a new CEO to oversee its largest market, among other key changes. Michel Doukeris, the company’s current chief sales officer, will take over as the CEO of A-B InBev North America, supplanting current zone president and CEO João Castro Neves, who will depart the organization after 22 years to “pursue other opportunities.”
In this week’s edition of Last Call: Molson Coors acquires Quebec craft brewery Trou du Diable; Shmaltz seeks investment; Boston Beer Company opens a taproom in Boston; Maryland’s alcohol regulator wraps up reform task force; Viceland renews Beerland.
After four years as the national sales manager for Oskar Blues Brewery, Lou Romano has left the craft brewery to become the president of Flying Fish Brewing Company.
While its legacy Widmer and Redhook brands continue to decline, Kona offerings are up double-digits year-to-date in a Craft Brew Alliance portfolio that has grown to include a number of regional craft brewery partners in recent years.
Craft Brew Alliance (CBA), which makes and markets a range of beer offerings, today reported its third-quarter earnings results. The company’s performance for the three-month period ending September 30 was highlighted by a 9 percent increase in Kona depletions (shipments to wholesalers). Through the first nine months of the year, Kona depletions have increased 10 percent.
We’re just three weeks away from our next Brewbound Session, happening on Wednesday, November 29 in Santa Monica, Calif., and we’re excited to show off a first look at the agenda. Featuring multiple presentations and panel discussions with the alcohol industry’s top thought leaders, we’ve designed the Winter 2017 event specifically to help serious beer industry professionals better understand and capitalize on the future of the category.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) released its latest draft guidance for calorie-posting requirements on Tuesday, offering additional clarification for establishments in which alcoholic beverages are a regular part of menus.
E-commerce retail sales are approaching $400 billion dollars, but a mere 0.2 percent of beer — or about 3.5 million cases — was purchased online last year, according to Heineken CEO Ronald den Elzen. Den Elzen, presenting to more than 200 beer industry professionals attending yesterday’s Beer Marketer’s Insights seminar in New York City, called the shift away from brick-and-mortar purchases a “retail revolution.” By 2021, den Elzen projected that online beer sales will grow to 2.4 percent, to 53 million cases.
