Distribution

Retail sales of Molson Coors Beverage Company’s Topo Chico Hard Seltzer increased +67% year-over-year (YOY) in Q1 2022 compared to Q1 2021, according to the most recent “Beverage Bytes” retailer survey by Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog.

Between non-alcoholic spirits, beers, wines and mocktails, the options for consumers have boomed over the past few years, but the rise of this category has also presented a challenge for retail buyers – raising questions of where in the store these zero proof products belong. Now, as retailers expand their NA offerings, some stores such as Washington-based Town & Country Markets, are creating sets exclusively dedicated to the new wave of non-alcoholic adult beverages.

The Bell’s Brewery portfolio is moving to the Reyes Beer Division in the majority of the wholesaler’s Indiana territory. Reyes, the largest beer distributor in the U.S., announced today that its Monarch Distributing subsidiary has closed on agreements for the Michigan craft brewery’s brand rights in its Indiana footprint, adding about 175,000 cases to Monarch’s operation.

After a state court largely rejected its claims earlier this year, Seismic Brewing Company has now filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against DBI Beverage, Reyes Holdings and Reyes subsidiary Harbor Distributing, alleging the beer distributor attempted to maintain a monopoly of California’s beer distribution market.

The California beer industry is still in a period of recovery, as total beer volume in the state declined in 2021 for the fourth consecutive year (-1.6%), Chris Shepard, senior editor of Craft Brew News at Beer Marketers’ Insights (BMI), said in his keynote speech last week, kicking off the California Craft Brewers Association’s (CCBA’s) members conference in San Diego.

Hammond Beverage Group (HBG) has struck a deal to acquire North East, Maryland-headquartered Northeast Beverage Corporation. Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to close June 24, were not disclosed.

The Reyes Beer Division is adding to its California map with the planned acquisition of Columbia Distributing’s business in Northern California, the companies announced this evening.

Adrienne Freeman, Walmart craft beer merchant, discusses bringing the Black is Beautiful collaboration beer project to the big box retailer’s shelves and efforts to support more diverse entrepreneurs on a special “Retail Pulse” edition of Brewbound Frontlines.

Societe Brewing is expanding its distribution footprint into Northern California, beginning April 11. The San Diego, California-based brewery now distributes in all key California markets through “100% independent distributors,” Societe founder and CEO Doug Constantiner announced Monday during the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) Members Conference.

Delivery service Gopuff has laid off hundreds of employees as it aims to cut costs, the company confirmed today. Former employees claimed the number was more than 1,000.

E-commerce beverage-alcohol platform Provi has filed a complaint against Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits and Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) – the country’s two largest wine and spirits distributors – alleging that the companies have unlawfully stifled the growth of its platform.

Cleveland-headquartered Great Lakes Brewing Company has hired long-time Boulevard Brewing brewmaster Steven Pauwels as its first chief operations officer, the company announced Thursday. Pauwels’ first day with Great Lakes will be April 4, a Great Lakes spokesperson shared with Brewbound.

Independent wholesaler Craft Collective will expand to its fourth New England state next week when it launches operations in Vermont. Speaking to Brewbound, co-founder and CEO Adam Oliveri explained the impetus behind the expansion is a partnership with Vermont Beer Makers, who will sell the rights to their brands to Craft Collective after about a decade of self-distribution.

Breakthru Beverage Group has reached a deal to acquire J.J. Taylor Companies’ beer business in Minnesota, the companies announced today. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. However, Breakthru expects the deal to close in the spring, pending customary closing conditions. Once closed, Breakthru will consolidate its beer portfolio into J.J. Taylor’s 600,000 sq…. Read more »