Firestone Walker’s best-selling 805 brand is headed to Kansas and Missouri later this month.
The Paso Robles, California-headquartered craft brewery officially announced today the addition of the two Midwestern states to the 805 brand’s distribution footprint, which will now encompass 14 states.
Firestone Walker head of sales Kristen Demergian first told Brewbound’s Jess Infante about the expansion during a fireside chat at the California Family Beer Distributors’ first conference in November.
805 blonde ale will be distributed in Kansas by LDF Companies, Crown Distributors, and Central States, and Missouri by Heart of America Beverage, Breakthru Beverage and Central States. Package formats include 6- and 12-pack cans, 24-ounce single-serve cans and draft.
805 Cerveza, the Mexican-inspired lager brand extension, is slated to follow the blonde ale’s entry into the two states after giving the flagship brand time to connect with beer drinkers.
“Beer drinkers in the Midwest have always been incredibly passionate about Firestone Walker and our family of beers,” Nick Firestone, Firestone Walker chief operating officer, said in a press release. “We’ve long heard their calls for 805, and we’re now excited to answer that demand by bringing fresh, cold 805 beer to Kansas and Missouri for the first time.”
The launch will officially kick off with motocross freerider and X-Games gold medalist Tyler Bereman on March 30 at the Screenland Armour Theatre, an afterparty at the Velo Garage and on March 31 at the Up-Down arcade.
Kansas and Missouri are the first new states to receive 805 since Utah in 2019, and Colorado, Illinois, Alaska and the Pacific Northwest in 2018. 805 is also available in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Idaho, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Montana.
Firestone Walker first launched in Missouri in 2013 and Kansas in 2016.
In 2022, 805 was the 12th best-selling craft beer brand in off-premise retailers tracked by market research firm Circana (formerly known as IRI).
Sales of 805 blonde ale in multi-outlet and convenience stores last year declined -5.81%, to $71.4 million, while volume declined -10.9%, according to NielsenIQ data provided by 3 Tier Beverages. However, 805 Cerveza sales increased +10.48%, to nearly $17.3 million, as volume increased +4.75%, the firm reported. The two brands combined accounted for 72% of Firestone Walker’s off-premise business, up two points compared to 2021, 3 Tier Beverages shared.
Year-to-date through February 26, off-premise retail sales of 805 have declined -12.3%, to more than $8.8 million, while case sales have declined -19.1%, IRI reported.