It’s an issue that a number of craft brewers have grappled with over the past year, and one that is often misunderstood: trademark ownership and infringement. According to Craig Rashkis, an attorney with Farwell Rashkis, LLP, trademarks can be “a word, phrase, design, logo, or any combination thereof that distinguishes the source of a product or goods” from another source. In beer, common trademarks include the name of the brewing company, a beer and label artwork.
New Planet Beer, a Boulder, Colo.-based producer of gluten-free craft beer, is starting to make a habit of operating with limited resources. A company of just two official employees, New Planet doesn’t own its own brewery, yet it still sells beer in 46 states and Western Canada.
Victory Brewing Company hit the ground running in February with the launch of its second brewery, but in recent weeks, the installation of a used bottling line has proved a royal aggravation. “Last week was extremely painful,” said brewery co-founder Bill Covaleski. “This 12-year-old piece of equipment has worked great for 12 years. You assemble… Read more »
Amid growing controversy over an ongoing ban against gay and lesbian rights activists’ marching in South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Boston Beer Company today announced that it has dropped its sponsorship of the event. Jessica Paar, the company’s senior public relations manager, sent a statement to Brewbound explaining the decision:
Green Flash Brewing bottles are about to get a new look. Beginning in April, the San Diego, Calif.-based craft brewery will begin shipping redesigned 4-packs and 22 oz. bottles, in an effort to draw “increased attention to the beer name and beer style.” Green Flash co-founders Mike and Lisa Hinkley said the new look features… Read more »
If the latest GuestSciences (formerly GuestMetrics prior to acquiring Restaurant Sciences) data is to be believed, on-premise operators are off to a sluggish start in 2014. Foot traffic to restaurants, bars and nightclubs is down 4.5 percent through Feb. 23, a trend GuestSciences blamed on “unusually harsh weather conditions.”
Should North Carolina successfully court Stone Brewing Co. in its efforts to expand east, the Tar Heel State would officially play host to four of country’s biggest craft breweries’ second production facilities. Oskar Blues of Lyons, Colo. brewed the inaugural batch of beer at its Brevard facility back in December of 2012, while Sierra Nevada… Read more »
From 30,000 feet, America’s craft beer landscape looks pretty invulnerable. Craft has experienced eight straight years of double-digit dollar sales growth, breweries are opening at a rate of more than one per day and waves of new SKUs are washing over retail shelves and flowing through tap lines. But at the state level, there are… Read more »
Want to be sure that a bona fide, Brewers Association-defined “craft brewer” produced the beer you’re buying? Now there’s an app for that. But don’t expect any Craft Brew Alliance employees, and especially the company’s outspoken CEO, Andy Thomas, to be downloading the app anytime soon.
Left Hand Brewing Co. today announced that it has hired Thomas Ruprecht as national chain sales manager, a newly created position for the brewery. Formerly with New Planet Brewing, Ruprecht will be a key component of Left Hand’s team as it looks grow sales and further develop partner relationships in 2014.
Southeastern states are vying for the attention of Stone Brewing Co. with both song and legislative dance in hopes that the brewery, out of Escondido, Calif., will plant its Eastern facility in their respective backyards. In a request for proposal issued earlier this month, Stone detailed plans to identify and begin working on a new… Read more »
Craft brewers in Georgia are hoping a Senate resolution (S.R. 1099) introduced Wednesday by Republican Senator Jack Murphy will inspire lawmakers to loosen restrictions on brewery operations. The Study Committee seeks to examine “issues surrounding the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages as they relate to licensing and tied house laws.”
Despite posting record depletion growth of 11 percent and net sale growth of 6 percent last year, Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) said it was unhappy with its gross margin performance, which declined 150 basis points in 2013. During the company’s earnings call, held earlier today, Thomas explained how CBA plans to expand its gross margin rate by upwards of 700 basis points over the next five years.
Cider, like craft beer, has enjoyed rapid growth in recent years. In 2013, the category grew total on-premise volumes 49 percent, according to GuestMetrics. Embodying that quick rise, Sonoma Cider announced yesterday that it signed eight new distribution agreements, launching new territories while also expanding in its home market of California.
