Distribution

The California Family Beer Distributors (CFBD), a trade group representing independent wholesalers in the Golden State, has pushed back against statements made earlier this week by Constellation Brands CEO Bill Newlands regarding the Mexican import giant’s proposed termination of two wholesalers.

Sonic Hard Seltzer is cruising into 21 additional states — including many of the namesake fast-food chain’s strongest markets.

Cincinnati, Ohio-based MadTree Brewing has changed distribution partners in its home state from Cavalier Distributing to the Molson Coors distribution network of Stagnaro Distributing, Superior Beverage Group, Bonbright Distributors and NWO Beverage Co.

To kick off the new year, Orange County, California-based The Bruery and Offshoot Beer Co. announced several in-house promotions as part of its 2022 goal to strengthen its distribution footprint and continue growing off-premise sales.

Days after the BBC reported that Scottish beer maker BrewDog allegedly submitted false information to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, keg labels for the two beers in question were surrendered. Meanwhile, the number of convenience stores operating in the U.S. stood at 148,026 in 2021, a 1.5% decline compared to the 150,274 stores in operation in 2020, according to NACS and NielsenIQ.

Rabobank beverage analyst Bourcard Nesin joins the Brewbound Podcast to discuss his report breaking down e-commerce alcohol sales in 2021 and the opportunities that await brewers in the space and tips for how to succeed.

The Reyes Beer Division is picking up one of the most popular brands in San Diego. Reyes subsidiaries Harbor Distributing and Crest Beverage will take over distribution of around 310,000 cases of AleSmith Brewing Company products in Southern California from Stone Distributing, starting at the end of the month.

Online sales of beverage alcohol reached $6.1 billion in 2021 and have more than doubled their share of all off-premise dollar sales since 2019, according to a new report from Rabobank beverages analyst Bourcard Nesin. E-commerce sales of beer, wine and spirits accounted for 4% of total category off-premise sales in 2021, up from nearly 1.9% in 2019.

The fifth generation of the Wanty family is taking the reins at O&W Inc., a Ypsilanti, Michigan-based independent beer wholesaler.

Mary Guiver, Whole Foods global senior category merchant for beer and spirits, and Jason Murphy, Buffalo Wild Wings beverage product and program innovation manager, joined together on stage for the first time at Brewbound Live in Santa Monica, California, earlier this month to discuss what they’re looking for from suppliers in 2022.

After granting five New York wholesalers a temporary restraining order (TRO) last week against Boston Beer Company (BBC) and Manhattan Beer Distributors’ attempt to terminate their rights to sell Boston Beer’s Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard and Twisted Tea brands, New York Supreme Court Justice Andrew Borrok changed course and denied their motion for an injunction against the sale of their rights to Manhattan Beer.

Distribution of the Bell’s Brewery portfolio in Ohio will shift from Premium Beverage Supply, which sold Bell’s offerings statewide, to a network of four wholesalers, the Comstock, Michigan-based craft brewery announced last week.

Independent wholesaler Scout Distribution has expanded north from its San Diego headquarters to Los Angeles. Scout, which was founded in 2018 in San Diego and expanded to Arizona with statewide distribution in April, is launching in Los Angeles with 16 brands.

Thanksgiving week gave dining and drinking establishments a boost on both the night before the holiday and the holiday itself, according to on-premise research firm CGA.