Brewbound Live

Mergers and acquisitions in the craft beer industry have evolved from a peak period of large corporate brewery buyouts to craft-on-craft deals and multi-brand craft roll ups, Cascadia Capital managing director Nicole Nugent Fry discussed during her presentation earlier this month at the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica.

Flavored malt beverages have delivered more dollar sale growth in the off-premise retail channel than any other segment in the beer category in 2019, according to market research firm IRI. Innovation leaders from Molson Coors, Deschutes Brewery and beer-driven on-premise chain Taco Mac discussed the shifting beer category during the Brewbound Live business conference.

Off-premise dollar sales of hard seltzers are on pace to hit $1.5 billion by the end of 2019, Nielsen’s beverage alcohol practice team shared earlier this month during the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica. Nielsen’s beverage alcohol practice team members Danelle Kosmal and Caitlyn Battaglia shared that hard seltzers now account for 5% of all beer category dollars.

Lost Abbey co-founder and chief operating officer Tomme Arthur announced plans to launch a new line of canned sour beers called Tiny Bubbles, which he called his company’s “authentic alternative,” in his opening address earlier this month during the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica.

Stone Brewing CEO Dominic Engels and Karl Strauss Brewing CEO and co-founder Chris Cramer discussed their respective companies’ operations and strategies last week at the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica. Both San Diego companies are listed on not-for-profit trade group the Brewers Association’s (BA) list of the 50 largest craft breweries. However, Engels and Cramer offered varying perspectives for attendees and viewers.

The tidal wave of hard seltzers shows no signs of slowing down, market research firm Nielsen’s beverage alcohol practice team shared Thursday during the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica.

Inglewood, California-based Crowns & Hops Brewing Company took the throne as the winner of Brewbound’s 2019 Pitch Slam competition, held this week during the Brewbound Live business conference in Santa Monica, California.

Hundreds of entrepreneurs and executives from across the beer industry gathered at last year’s Brewbound Live business conference to discuss category health, cannabis, and future product innovations. All of the main stage conversations are now available on the Brewbound YouTube channel.

Count Brooklyn Brewery among the growing number of beer companies that has its eyes on the health and wellness space. During last week’s Brewbound Live business conference, Brooklyn Brewery CEO Eric Ottaway said the company was on the verge of releasing a non-alcoholic beer in Sweden as the company looks to tap into increasing consumer demand for more alcohol-free brews.

Craft Brew Alliance CEO Andy Thomas set the tone for last week’s Brewbound Live business conference by asking the nearly 200 beer industry professionals who attended the two-day event a simple question: Who is really your competitor?