Yakima Chief Hops Accused of Breaching Contract
Melbourne-based ingredient supplier Bintani Australia has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Yakima Chief Hops that accuses the broker of refusing to sell it hops, the Capital Press reported.
However, Yakima Chief Hops claims Bintani first breached its supply contract by selling a stake to a competitor, Brewers Supply Group, which is owned by the Rahr Corporation.
Nevertheless, Bintani argues in the lawsuit that the sale did not violate its agreement with Yakima Chief Hops. Instead, it claims that Yakima Chief Hops breached the contract by terminating “for cause” last September and has since started soliciting Bintani customers. A terminated agreement could cost the company more than $20 million, as Bintani buys 71 percent of its hops from Yakima Chief Hops, according to the lawsuit.
Bintani is seeking an injunction to block Yakima Chief Hops’ termination of the supply agreement.
Total Wine, New Seasons to Offer Alcohol Delivery
Total Wine & More is partnering with Texas-headquartered Delivery Solutions to provide same-day home delivery to customers nationwide, according to a press release.
“The goal is to make compliant, nationwide delivery available out of the box for retailers,” Delivery Solutions founder Arshaad Mirza said, via the release. “Our orchestration middleware along with our growing delivery partnerships, makes plug and play last mile delivery possible.”Total Wine & More operates 190 stores in 23 states. A timetable for implementation was not shared.
Meanwhile, another grocery store chain, New Seasons — which operates 21 stores in Oregon, Washington and Northern California — announced its own alcohol delivery service in Portland, Oregon, via Instacart.
Finally, in September, grocery store chain Meijer extended its alcohol delivery service to 40 stores in Ohio, Supermarket News reported. Meijer also offers beer and wine delivery in Michigan.
M&A: BC’s Craft Collective Acquires Postmark; Knucklehead Ownership Altered
Vancouver, British Columbia’s Craft Collective Breerworks acquired Postmark Brewing in mid-October, according to a a press release. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
As part of the transaction, Postmark’s founders — Steve Thorp, Nate Rayment and Reuben Major — “will continue to own and operate the original brewery site, including its tasting room and retail store.”
The acquisition will enable Postmark to grow production, sales and distribution, while allowing the company to transform its current production facility into the “Postmark Innovation Facility,” which will focus on small-batch offerings, barrel-aged beers and cider production.
Meanwhile, in New York, Knucklehead Craft Brewing co-founder Len Dummer, his wife, Kathy, and their two sons have bought out co-founder George Cline’s stake in the business, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. In September, Cline announced he had decided to amicably part ways with the Webster-based craft brewery.
Craftworks Holdings Acquires Logan’s Roadhouse
Colorado-headquartered Craftworks Restaurants & Breweries — which owns the Rock Bottom and Gordon Biersch brewpub chains as well as Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom — has acquired Nashville, Tennessee-based chain Logan’s Roadhouse, according to a press release. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The three chain restaurants will be part of a newly formed holding company, CraftWorks Holdings, which will be led by current Logan’s CEO, Hazem Ouf. The company now operates 393 restaurants across 40 states and Washington, D.C.
“By creating CraftWorks Holdings, we have laid the foundation for a premiere restaurant & brewery holding company to provide long-term growth opportunities for our brands, team members and franchise partners and established a platform that is well positioned for future growth and acquisitions,” Ouf said, via the release.
Weekend Screenings Set for Pair of Beer Flicks
An advance screening of “The Beer Jesus From America,” a documentary featuring Stone Brewing co-founder Greg Koch and his quest to open a brewery in Germany, will be held at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, on Sunday, November 4. After the showing, Koch and filmmaker Matt Sweetwood will take part in a Q&A session.
“This film stands as not just a glimpse into the trials, challenges, roadblocks and occasional triumphs of the project, but the story of following your heart and challenging convention,” Koch said, via a press release.
For tickets and additional information, click here.
Meanwhile, a special advance screening of “F*** Your Hair,” which chronicles Latino-owned craft brewery 5 Rabbit Cerveceria’s decision to break its contract to produce beer for a Donald Trump-owned hotel in Chicago, will be held at the brewery in Bedford Park, Illinois, on Sunday, November 4.
5 Rabbit’s owners, Andres Araya and Mila Ramirez, who are immigrants from Latin America, cut ties with the Trump hotel in 2016 after then presidential candidate Trump claimed Mexican immigrants brought drugs and crime into the U.S. and some were “rapists.”
Director Jason Polevoi and producer Nick Jenkins told Brewbound that Araya and Rarimez risked not only being sued but also not being able to produce the beer made with ingredients from Latin America.
“When people see 24-hour news or talk of the caravan or they see the travel ban or any types of these refugee or immigrant stories, it’s hard to put a real human face on it,” Polevoi said. “These are people who are right here in Chicago who have been directly affected by these policies and decided to do something about it. And I think that’s an important story right now, more than ever.
“On its face, it’s a business move, but what they risked was their livelihood for their family, for their daughter and all of the people who worked for them if they could no longer continue producing beer after this,” he added. “They saw a lot of backlash. They saw a lot of hate.”
Polevoi and Jenkins said they plan to show the film on the festival circuit in 2019 as well as screenings at breweries across the country.
Click here for more information about the screening.
Founders of A-B Acquired Craft Breweries Discuss Getting into the Beer Business
Anheuser-Busch InBev released a short video featuring Goose Island beer educator Christina Perozzi interviewing the founders of three of its acquired craft brands — 4 Pines Brewing, Blue Point Brewery and Camden Town Brewery.
During the discussion, the founders discuss the future of “craft,” what beers they’re working on and more. Watch the video above.