Molson Coors Beverage Company announced today that it will make an equity investment in TRU Colors Brewery, a Wilmington, North Carolina-based craft brewery with a mission to end street violence.
The deal, described as a strategic partnership, is a unique one on several levels. TRU Colors (TRU stands for truth, responsibility and unity) was founded by tech entrepreneur and former Untappd chairman George Taylor and leaders of the Bloods, Crips, and GD (Gangster Disciples) gangs.
TRU Colors hires active gang members with a goal of leveraging their connections to end gang violence while also snuffing out economic inequality, generational poverty, and racial divisiveness.
“At TRU Colors, we believe most street violence is driven by a lack of economic opportunity and societal exclusion, and therefore an inclusive economic solution is needed to stop it,” TRU Colors founder and CEO George Taylor said in a press release. “Brewed by once-bitter rivals, our beer will be a symbol of the understanding and unity that’s possible when people are open to change. Through our partnership with Molson Coors, and the incredible talent of our team, the opportunities for our business and social impact are endless.”
“Last summer we said we were committed to meaningful long-term change inside and outside our business, and would make better efforts to leave a positive impact in communities throughout the country,” Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley added. “This partnership represents an opportunity to not only invest in what we believe will be a successful business, but also in a brand with a strong social justice presence that will have an immeasurable positive impact on hundreds of lives.”
As part of the partnership, Molson Coors will act as a strategic partner to TRU Colors and assist the company with distribution of its first beer release, TRU Light, an under 100 calorie premium light lager that is expected to hit retailers in North Carolina and Virginia this summer. The company plans to expand distribution to the rest of the country within its first two years of operation. TRU’s offerings will exclusively be distributed through the Molson Coors distribution network.
Molson Coors will also advise TRU Colors on brand positioning, building supplier relationships, marketing and advertising, and product formulation.
TRU Colors is in the process of completing construction of a 56,000 sq. ft. production facility in Wilmington. The facility will be capable of producing more than 1 million cases of product annually. The facility will include corporate offices, as well as a wellness center, gym, recording studio, classrooms and a space dedicated for a “street intervention team.”
The investment in TRU Colors is part of Molson Coors’ efforts “to foster a more inclusive and diverse culture.” Molson Coors has a stated goal of increasing representation of people of color by 25% within its U.S. brewing operations by the end of 2023. The company has also committed $3 million to 26 local and national organizations dedicated to equality, empowerment, justice and community building. Last year, the company founded the Tenth & Blake Brewing Education Scholarship Fund to support students of color and students in the LGBTQ community pursuing degrees in brewing and fermentation sciences.
Leading TRU Colors brewing team is Brian Faivre, who served as brewmaster for Deschutes Brewery for nearly a decade, and Juan “Press” Bethea, a member of the Bloods who has spent the last three years studying brewery operations and production.
“TRU Colors has changed my life and the streets in our city,” Bethea said in the release. “Today, I’m working side-by-side with guys that I used to see as rivals, who, just like me, have lost friends and family to the streets. It’s hard to forget the past, but we all want a better future. My family now has a stable home, and my kids can be whoever they want to be. That is everything.”
Molson Coors’ other craft brewery partners and craft brands include Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, AC Golden Brewing Company, Saint Archer Brewing Company, Terrapin Beer Company, Hop Valley Brewing Company, Revolver Brewing and Atwater Brewery.