Distribution

Corvallis, Oregon-based Block 15 Brewing is expanding its 5-year-old self-distribution operation and creating Block 15 Distribution, an independent beer and coffee wholesaler, the company announced yesterday.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the $2.2 trillion stimulus package Friday afternoon and sent the bill to President Donald Trump, who signed the bill into law at 4 p.m. ET in the Oval Office. U.S. brewers shipped 11,350,000 barrels in February, a decline of 0.7% compared to February 2019, according to national trade group the Beer Institute.

The Reyes Beer Division has reached an agreement to acquire certain distribution rights from Sacramento, California-based Saccani Distributing Company. The acquisition will add 1.5 million cases to Reyes’ Golden Brands subsidiary, which sells 26 million cases to 14,000 accounts in Northern California.

Newly named Massachusetts Brewers Guild’s president Sam Hendler wants to finally resolve the contentious franchise reform debate with the state’s wholesalers. Hendler, a co-founder and co-owner of Framingham, Massachusetts-based craft breweries Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers and the Springdale Beer Company, acknowledged that the franchise law reform effort has been dragging on long before he was of legal drinking age. “I was a high school senior when it started,” he told Brewbound.

After crossing the 100,000-barrel threshold in 2018, Rhinegeist’s increased production 6% in 2019, to 106,000 barrels, sales director Matt Steinke shared with Brewbound.

East Coast gas and convenience store chain Cumberland Farms’ attempt to change Massachusetts’ off-premise retail chain licensing processes is being met with opposition from the state’s alcoholic beverage package stores.

Scottish craft beer maker BrewDog’s U.S. operations posted strong growth in 2019. Production at the Scotland-headquartered craft brewery’s facility in Columbus, Ohio, increased nearly 46%, to 53,000 barrels, chief revenue officer Adam Lambert told Brewbound.

A growing number of consumers are turning to online ordering and delivery apps, executives from top on- and off-premise retailers shared during Beer Business Daily’s Beer Industry Summit earlier this week.

The Reyes Beverage Group is making another wholesaler purchase in California. Reyes’ Crest Beverage subsidiary announced Monday an agreement to acquire all of the assets of Imperial, California-based Claypool Distributing.

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.

Charlotte, North Carolina-based Sycamore Brewing added distribution to Virginia this month, vice president of sales Archie Gleason told Brewbound. Night Shift Brewing will begin distribution to New Hampshire in 2020, according to a Facebook post from Amoskeag Beverages.

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 Reyes Beverage Group, the nation’s largest beer wholesaler, has struck its second deal in Virginia in the past 13 months, according to a press release. Premium Distributors of Virginia, a Reyes subsidiary, announced Friday that it has acquired the distribution rights of Winchester, Virginia-based Dixie Beverage Company. The deal will add 280,000 cases to… Read more »