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.
The polar vortex might be to blame for slower retail foot traffic, weak winter job creation numbers and even delayed maple syrup production, but frigid temperatures haven’t cooled craft beer’s sizzling start to 2014. Year-to-date craft dollar sales are up a whopping 24.6 percent through February across IRI’s U.S. multi outlet and convenience stores universe… Read more »
As the saying goes, ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire.’ On Saturday, Reuters reported that veteran food industry investor, C. Dean Metropoulos, was in the early stages of finding a new owner for Pabst Brewing Co., the country’s fifth largest beer vendor.
Surly Brewing continues to tap into a variety of emerging retail outlets for its products. After announcing last month that cans of its Furious, Bender and Hell beers would be sold on flights operated by Sun Country Airlines, the Minnesota-based brewery will make available select Surly offerings at Minnesota Timberwolves home games.
Total Beverage Solution (TBS) yesterday announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to Vanberg & DeWulf, a portfolio of various imported Belgian beers, for an undisclosed amount. TBS — which serves as a master distributor for a number of import brands as well as Shipyard Brewing — will begin shipping product to distributors as… Read more »
Deschutes Brewery has announced plans to expand its distribution footprint in the central and southern regions of Pennsylvania, beginning March 24. For coverage in Dauphin, Lebanon, Cumberland, Perry, Juaniata, and Mifflin counties, the Bend, Ore.-based brewery has tapped Wilsbach Distributors. Ace Distributing will be responsible for distribution in York, Franklin, Fulton, and Lancaster counties.
Welcome to the club, D.G. Yuengling & Son. Glad you made it, Narragansett. Sorry about the trouble, August Schell Brewing. Forget the controversy, feel free to use rice and corn, just stick with tradition, ok? The Brewers Association (BA) — a not-for-profit trade group representing the interests of small and independent American craft brewers —… Read more »
It only took about 60 days for Oskar Blues to execute its “aggressive” expansion into five new states, and now the Colorado-based craft brewery is eyeing even more markets. The company today announced it will enter Kansas on March 10 with the Kansas Craft Alliance (KCA), a partnership of 12 family-owned distributors covering the entire… Read more »
Founders Brewing Co. is expanding its distribution footprint to include Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, the company announced today. Beer is slated to hit retail shelves and tap lines throughout each of the new markets this April. Founders, which has expanding quickly of late from its home base in Grand Rapids, Mich., has signed distribution agreements… Read more »
The country’s largest craft brewery, Boston Beer Company, last week reported fourth quarter depletions growth of 20 percent and net revenue of $205.4 million, an increase of $52.4 million over the same period last year. The company’s full-year depletions grew 23 percent while production volumes increased 25 percent, to about 3.4 million barrels.
C. Dean Metropoulos, the veteran food industry investor who bought Pabst Brewing Co. back in 2010, is now in the early stages of trying to sell the 170-year-old brewery, according to Reuters. The Los Angeles-based producer of heritage beer brands like Pabst Blue Ribbon, Olympia and National Bohemian (Natty Boh), is expected to sell for… Read more »
Sam Crickenberger, the director of economic development for Virginia’s Rockbridge County, loves to “see dirt get turned over.” He wants companies, both from the U.S. and abroad, to plant their flags in that southern terrain and call it home. When a brewery like Devils Backbone does just that, well, that’s even better. That, Crickenberger said,… Read more »
As the saying goes, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. The same is true for building a distribution footprint for a beer brand. Some breweries build out from home and gradually move into bordering states. Others, like Austin, Texas.-based Adelbert’s Brewery, take an approach that’s seems akin to throwing darts at a… Read more »
In this afternoon’s IRI Power Hour conference hosted by the Brewers Assocation, Dan Wandel, principal of Beverage Alcohol Clients Insights for IRI, highlighted an “abundance of positive indicators” that surging growth of craft beer is set to continue through 2014 and beyond.
