Albert Hammond Jr. — lead guitarist for The Strokes — launched Jetway, an ultra-premium wine seltzer, this month.
San Diego-based Scout Distribution will distribute Jetway’s two offerings — a Sauvignon Blanc white wine seltzer and a Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon rosé seltzer — in Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties. Mammoth Brewing Co. Distribution will also distribute products into the Mammoth Mountain ski area and surrounding regions. Additional expansion is planned throughout the fall/winter of 2021 and into 2022.
The 5% ABV wine seltzers are packed in 8.4 oz. cans and are gluten free, vegan friendly, and contain no cane sugar or artificial flavors.
Additionally, Jetway has appointed Ben Parsons — canned-wine veteran and owner of The Infinite Monkey Theorem and The Ordinary Fellow — as COO. Jetway has also partnered with strategy consultants Ethan Stienstra and Daniel Kiefer of Denver-based Ahead of the Curve Strategy to help with the launch.
Actors Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, and Nick Hoult, as well as music industry executive Coran Capshaw, filmmaker Robert Schwartzman, and photographer Zoey Grossman have signed on as investors in Jetway.
Loverboy to Expand into 9 New States
Sparkling hard tea and canned cocktail maker Loverboy is on track to expand into the entire U.S. by Spring 2022, adding nine new states next month, according to a company spokesperson.
The Manhattan-based company — co-founded by Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula of Bravo’s reality show Summer House — has partnered with several retailers including Kroger, Publix, Target, and Whole Foods for expansion throughout Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Colorado, as well as Southern California, San Antonio, Texas and Charleston, South Carolina.
Additionally, its hard tea products will be available through the e-commerce convenience store platform Gopuff in Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado and San Antonio, Texas.
“As we continue to expand our distribution network, we are ultimately prioritizing markets where there is a heavy consumer population, a substantial ‘Summer House’ fan base, and distributors that are excited about bringing us on and willing to fully invest in the Loverboy brand,” Cooke told Brewbound. “Some of that includes an expanded relationship with Reyes, Anheuser-Busch, Eagle Rock and Silver Eagle, to name a few in these respective markets.”
The new states add to Loverboy’s existing network, including New York, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. The FMB company also ships its wine-based craft cocktails direct-to-consumers in 44 states.
Last month, Loverboy resolved a dispute with its previous Massachusetts wholesaler Night Shift Distributing, following Loverboy’s desire to terminate its contract with the company without paying fair market value for its brand rights. Loverboy is now distributed via Horizon Beverage, Quality Beverage and Commercial Distributing Co. in Massachusetts.
Bent Water Brewing Expands into Vermont
Lynn, Massachusetts-based Bent Water Brewing has expanded distribution of its beers into Vermont.
Bent Water’s offerings — including its Sluice Juice New England IPA, Thunder Funk IPA, and Double Thunder Funk double IPA — will be available statewide through South Burlington, Vermont-based Farrell Distributing, according to a post on Bent Water’s Instagram.
Bent Water has increased production of its beers for at least the past four years, increasing production 22% year-over-year in 2020 from 5,712 barrels to 6,886 barrels, according to data shared by the Brewers Association.
Half Past Hard Seltzer to Launch Online Sales in 32 States
Chicago-based hard seltzer maker Half Past will begin offering online shipping of its products to 32 states, as well as Washington, D.C., starting November 8.
The states include Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
The FMB company will offer four flavors; Pineapple with Clove, Grapefruit with Rosemary, Spicy Lime, and Ginger with Turmeric. Each 12 oz. can is 4.5% ABV and 110 calories, and will be available in individual flavor six-packs and variety 12-packs.
Half Past is available through wholesale distribution only in its home state of Illinois.
Homegrown Distribution Adds Widowmaker and Magnify to Portfolio
Massachusetts and Rhode Island distributor Homegrown Distribution (HGD) has added two additional breweries to its portfolio; Braintree, Massachusetts-based Widowmaker Brewing and Fairfield, New Jersey-based Magnify Brewing. The company previously added Westbrook, Maine-based Mast Landing Brewing to its book.
All three breweries were previously distributed in Massachusetts through Everett, Massachusetts-based Night Shift Distributing (NSD). Last month, NSD announced it would be selling the distribution rights of its Night Shift Brewing brand to Sheehan Family Companies and ceasing operations of its distribution arm.
The three breweries brings HGD’s total portfolio to 74 breweries, according to its website.
SunDaze Citrus Cocktails Now Available at More Than 200 Locations
Since launching in July, citrus canned cocktail maker SunDaze has added sales in more than 200 locations across Southern California, as well as Austin, Texas.
Inspired by mimosas, SunDaze’s three flavors — Original Citrus, Botanical Citrus and Spicy Citrus — are available at Wheatsville Co-op, Royal Blue Grocery, and select H-E-B locations, as well as various independent and natural foods retailers. The company distributes throughout Southern California through Beauchamp Distributing Company and Guardian Distributors of Los Angeles, and in Austin with Dynamo Speciality Distributing.
This November, SunDaze’s offerings will be added to select Ralphs locations in SoCal, according to the company.
Surly Expands Distribution in Missouri and Throughout Kansas
Twin Cities, Minnesota-based Surly Brewing is partnering with Speakeasy Distribution to expand distribution across Kansas and western Missouri.
The expansion, planned to begin in November, is credited in part to the success of the Surly brand in St. Louis, where it has been available since 2019, VP of sales Bob Repp said in a press release.
“The response to Surly in St. Louis made expanding to the rest of the state and into Kansas a priority for us,” Repp said. “And given all the market disruptions of the last 18 months, identifying a reliable and experienced distribution partner made the decision to expand further in this region even easier.”
Surly’s full portfolio — including Furious IPA, Darkness Russian imperial stout and its Supreme tart ale varieties — will be available at various retailers, bars and restaurants.
Anderson Valley Enters Nebraska
Boonville, California-based Anderson Valley Brewing (AVBC) is growing its relationship with its South Dakota distributor Global Distributing and expanding into Nebraska.
“Global’s commitment to representing independent craft brewers, along with their impressive relationships with retail and on premise accounts through the region made them the perfect partner for our expansion into Nebraska,” Kevin McGee, AVBC president and CEO, said in a press release. “Global’s seasoned team has assisted in building a strong presence for AVBC in South Dakota and we are looking forward to working with them to have the same impact in Nebraska.”
AVBC’s entire portfolio will be available on- and off-premise throughout Nebraska, including its Boont amber ale, Poleeko pale ale, and its barrel series brews.
“As we become established in Nebraska, our focus will be on local and world class beers as we do in our South Dakota market,” Global VP Chad Koopsma said in the release. “With the growth of craft beer in the Midwest, AVBC’s quality will be met with excitement from the craft drinking community.”
Since the acquisition of AVBC by McGee’s family in 2019, the brewery has gone through several distribution changes and expansions, including partnering with Beer Sheperd in Vermont, Eagle Distributing in North California, Serene Craft Beer Distributors in eastern New York, Mariner Beverages in Maine, Kendall’s Craft Beverages in southern Washington.