Distribution

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Smuttynose and Hop Valley shuffle executives; Boston Beer and Dogfish Head’s merger closes; Deschutes Brewery adds distribution in Indiana, New Jersey; Reyes Holdings sells Reinhart Foodservice for $2 billion; and more news.

In this Distribution Roundup: Popular Vermont craft brewer Lawson’s Finest Liquids is partnering with Remarkable Liquids for statewide distribution in New Jersey; Republic National Distributing Company forms a joint venture with Young’s Market Company; MillerCoors’ Revolver brand adds distribution in three states; and more.

A month away from its eighth anniversary, Cape May Brewing Company is quickly growing into one of New Jersey’s largest craft breweries. Last year, Cape May achieved “regional brewery” status — those breweries making between 15,000 and 6 million barrels of beer annually — increasing production by 75 percent, to 16,269 barrels, according to the Brewers Association. Speaking to Brewbound, Ryan Krill — who co-founded the brewery with his father, Bob, and friend Chris Henke in 2011 — said the company is on pace to sell as much as 23,000 barrels in 2019.

Fast-growing Night Shift Brewing has expanded distribution into another New England state. The company’s products just hit Connecticut, and launch parties are planned this week, including a meet-the-founders night Thursday at the Celtic Cavern in Middletown.

The Texas Supreme Court today declined to hear a constitutional challenge brought by three craft breweries to a 2013 state law that stripped beer companies of the ability to sell their distribution rights to wholesalers. The Institute for Justice, a law firm representing the three craft breweries, called the Supreme Court’s refusal to review the case today “a blow to the economic liberty of all Texans.”

Texas craft brewers’ efforts to legalize beer-to-go sales is closer to passage than ever before. On Wednesday, Texas Senators unanimously passed sweeping legislation to maintain operations of the state’s alcohol regulatory body, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), along with several changes to the state’s alcoholic beverage code, including an amendment that would permit a majority of the state’s manufacturing breweries to sell their offerings for off-premise consumption.

Despite months of rumors to the contrary, Stone Distributing Company (SDC) is not for sale. In a memo to employees last week, Stone Brewing CEO Dominic Engels sought to quash talk that the San Diego craft brewing company was attempting to offload its distribution business.

After 12 years of debating North Carolina’s self-distribution and franchise laws, brewers and wholesalers are one step away from their compromise being written into law. On Monday, the North Carolina Senate voted 38-3 to approve the Craft Beer Distribution and Modernization Act (House Bill 363), which the House approved in mid-April. The legislation now advances to Gov. Roy Cooper.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Brewers Association CEO Bob Pease weighs in on the Boston Beer-Dogfish Head deal; Rob Tod wins a James Beard award; Bell’s and Loveland head to arbitration; the Texas Senate strips to-go-sales amendment from a bill; and more industry news.

Red Bull North America this week announced it would terminate distribution contracts with three Massachusetts beer and non-alcoholic beverage wholesalers in June, as it transitions to a self-distribution model for off-premise accounts. The energy drink maker also announced it would transfer its on-premise business to wine and spirits distributor Martignetti Companies.

In the latest edition of People Moves, BrewDog USA changes its leadership team; Reyes taps Tom Day to lead its Beer Division; ex-NY alcohol regulator joins Drizly; and more personnel moves.

Maryland’s craft brewers, wholesalers and retailers have reached an agreement on sweeping legislation that, if approved, would reform the state’s laws surrounding self-distribution, taproom sales and franchise agreements.

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Actual Brewing files for bankruptcy; beer sales grow in January; Northern Eagle Beverage acquires New Jersey A-B wholesaler; class-action lawsuit filed against Molson Coors; and more industry news.

In the latest Distribution Roundup, Rhinegeist enters Nashville; Sweetwater goes statewide in Massachusetts; Castle Island makes its first move outside of Massachusetts; Founders adds its 48th state; and more expansion moves.