Atwater Brewery owner and president Mark Rieth announced he will be stepping down after more than 16 years with the Detroit-based, Molson Coors-owned craft brewery.
“By now you’ve undoubtedly heard that I have parted ways with Molson Coors Beverage Company,” Rieth said in a letter to Atwater employees last week. “It is a bittersweet situation for me.
“I want to thank each of you for your role in what I feel has been a Herculean accomplishment,” he continued. “Atwater has a proud heritage. It’s still growing up in Detroit and I am confident that with your continued dedication it will continue to grow and provide good times and enjoyment to beer drinkers for years to come.”
Rieth, who also owns Rivertown Holdings LLC, said in the letter that he will remain in Detroit as a business owner and real estate developer, and teased “several projects in the works.”
Founded in 1997, the brewery has increased production from 120 barrels a year, to 19,000 barrels in 2021, according to Rieth. In 2016, the brewery produced 33,500 barrels, according to the Brewers Association.
Rieth first invested in the brewery in 2002, before purchasing it in 2005. Molson Coors’ craft beer division Tenth and Blake Beer Co. acquired Atwater in early 2020.
Former Stone CEO Dominic Engels Appointed CEO of Revolution Foods
Former Stone Brewing CEO and board director Dominic Engels has been appointed CEO of Revolution Foods, a public benefit corporation.
Engels replaces Revolution co-founder Kristin Groos Richmond, who held the position for more than 15 years. She will continue with the company as chair of the board.
“It has been a tremendous honor to build and lead Revolution Foods since co-founding the company in 2006 and I am incredibly proud of everything our team has accomplished to serve over 500 million meals to communities around the nation,” Groos Richmond said in a press release. “In anticipation of even more exciting and high-impact opportunities ahead of us, I am thrilled to welcome Dominic as CEO to build on the company’s momentum. After an extensive nationwide search, the board, team and I felt confident that Dominic truly embodies our core values while also bringing an impressive depth of experience to the table.”
Engels spent 11 years at POM Wonderful in various leadership roles, including a stint as president, before joining Escondido, California-headquartered Stone Brewing in 2016. He resigned four years later in August of 2020 and began serving as an independent advisor, according to his LinkedIn.
“Dominic came to Revolution Foods highly recommended for his balanced leadership approach that combines strong commercial and brand focus alongside outstanding operational excellence,” Kerstin Dittmar, Revolution Foods board member, investor and CEO search committee member, said in the release. “The board felt that his approachable leadership style and extensive experience in large, mission-driven food and beverage companies made him an ideal fit to lead the next chapter of growth for the company.”
Revolution produces and distributes more than 2 million meals each week to children and families in underserved communities across 23 states, operating out of eight culinary centers. With Engels’ leadership, the company plans to “continue its focus on designing, curating, and producing high-quality and nutritious meals for K-12 schools,” as well as “expand its footprint into new channels, including adult and family meals, senior meals, and medically tailored meals,” according to the release.
Global Hop Supplier BarthHaas Appointments New Managing Directors
For the first time in the company’s 225-year history, Nuremberg, Germany-headquartered global hop supplier BarthHaas will be run by two non-family managers.
Long-time BarthHaas management team members Oliver Bergner and Peter Hintermeier will take over as managing directors this month, transitioning the company from owner-managed to owner-controlled, according to a press release.
Regine Barth, who has led the company as a managing partner since 2002, will be leaving her executive role to join a newly established supervisory board, along with her cousins Stephan and Alexander Barth, as well as Dr. Mirja Steinkamp and Dr. Philipp Ramin. Stephan Barth relinquished his role as managing partner in July.
“Our primary objective is to remain an independent family company with deep experience and a willingness for change to take on the challenges of the future,” Regine Barth said in the release. “Our new roles in the supervisory board will allow us to continue to contribute to our company in the future in terms of strategy and vision.”
Bergner took over Regine Barth’s management duties on December 1, while Hintermeier will assume Stephan Barth’s managing director role, effective January 1. The two have a combined 57 years of management experience at BarthHaas.
“We are delighted that with Oliver Bergner and Peter Hintermeier we have two highly experienced and trusted managers at the top who will preserve what is proven and at the same time drive innovation forward,” Regine Barth continued. “In their new roles they will work closely with the established management team to ensure the highest degree of stability and certainty for our company.”
Alexander Barth will remain CEO of John I. Haas, BarthHaas’ Washington, D.C.-based sister company.
Constellation CEO Bill Newlands Steps Down from Canopy Growth Board of Directors
Constellation Brands president and CEO Bill Newlands has resigned from the board of directors for Canopy Growth, a Canadian cannabis producer in Constellation’s portfolio, MJ Biz Daily reported last week, citing a regulatory filing from November 29.
According to the filing, Newlands notified Canopy of his resignation on November 24, effective immediately.
Newlands will be replaced by Constellation CFO and executive VP Garth Hankinson.
“Garth brings with him his extensive background managing financial and accounting divisions in a CPG environment, and his presence on the board will help expedite our path to profitability while supporting long-term shareholder value,” a Canopy spokesperson told MJ Biz Daily.
Constellation invested $4 billion in Canopy in 2018, increasing its ownership to 37% of the cannabis company. The company’s U.S. business grew 91% year-over-year in Q2 2022, Newlands detailed during a quarterly earnings call in October. He said the growth was led by consumer demand for CBD and packaged goods, including Biosteel ready-to-drink CBD beverages.