Anyone looking for an answer to when craft’s current era of compounding hurdles and declines will come to an end received a reality check Wednesday during Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson’s state of the industry address, held at the start of Day 2 of the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Indianapolis.
Around 10,000 industry members are expected to make the trip to Indianapolis for the 2025 Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America (April 28 to May 1). The gathering takes place against a backdrop of growing headwinds for craft breweries and an overhaul of CBC’s host organization, the Brewers Association.
Craft’s rolling four-week losses improved to start 2025, according to the most recent report from market research firm Circana. The segment’s off-premise dollar sales declined -3.1% and volume, measured in case sales, declined -4.6% in the four-week period ending January 26 (L4W) at multi-outlet grocery, mass retail and convenience stores (MULO+C). That marked an improvement over the prior four-week period (through December 29, 2024), when craft dollars declined -5.1% and volume declined -6.5%.
Craft beer dollar (-9.4%) and case sales (-10.9%) straddled double-digit declines in the grocery channel for the four-week period (L4W) ending June 15, according to the most recent monthly report from market research firm Circana.
When several companies walked back their support for underrepresented groups and canceled diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Brooklyn Brewery got even louder in its long-time support of the LGBTQ+ community. In this week’s edition of A Round With, our Q&A with industry leaders exclusively for Brewbound Insiders, Brooklyn president and CEO Robin Ottaway explains why 2025 is “the moment to step up.”
Sapporo-Stone has conducted a “small-scale reduction” in its workforce as the company continues to find the right balance for the combined operations of its Japanese import beer and California craft business.
Barrel One Collective is in the process of adding another New England craft brewery to its growing roster. The Boston-headquartered platform has struck a deal to acquire Worcester, Massachusetts-based Greater Good Imperial Brewing, the only dedicated high-ABV craft producer in the country.
New York City-based AL’s non-alcoholic (NA) lager plans to scale up via a new partnership with Beacon, New York-headquartered Industrial Arts Brewing, the companies announced Monday.
BrewDog has shuttered its Cincinnati, Ohio-based bar nearly six years after the outpost opened, the company confirmed on Monday. The company cited increased operating expenses and declining on-premise traffic among the reasons for the closure, which was effective immediately.
Moor’s Brewing has been named the winner of the 14th Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream (BTAD) Brewing and Business Experienceship, the company announced.
Large-format packs and key menu features are putting wind into Stone IPA’s sails. Stone IPA has recorded double-digit depletions growth at on-premise chains outside its home market in the 6-month period ending March 31, according to VIP data the brewery shared with Brewbound.
The Dead are helping raise Dogfish Head’s trends. The Boston Beer Company-owned, Milton, Delaware-based craft brewery’s launch of Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale earlier this year has returned the brand to growth for the first time since 2019, co-founder Sam Calagione told Brewbound last week.
Yet another legacy Colorado craft brewery is changing hands. Durango-headquartered Ska Brewing was acquired in May by two families with ties to beer distribution, including Bob Ariano, who owns A&L Coors Distribution, the Durango Herald reported.
Wilding Brands, the Colorado-based craft beverage and hospitality platform, has expanded again with the acquisition of Denver’s Station 26 Brewery, the companies announced last week. Station 26 founder Justin Baccary will remain in his role leading the brewery as it joins the collective.
Barrel One Collective-owned Harpoon Brewery is expanding to New Hampshire, opening an “experimental brewery, restaurant and taproom” in the Granite State later this month, the Massachusetts-based craft brewery announced today.