Mark Anthony Brands Names New White Claw CMO
Mark Anthony Brands has named former Jimmy John’s CMO John Shea to lead the marketing efforts for the White Claw hard seltzer brand. Shea will assume the role this month, a spokesperson confirmed to Brewbound.
Shea supplants Sanjiv Gajiwala, whose exit from the company was announced in mid-July after nearly nine years.
Shea spent 2.5 years as the CMO of the Jimmy John’s sandwich chain. Shea has previous beverage industry experience with a resume that includes 12 years at PepsiCo. At PepsiCo, he held several marketing roles for the Gatorade brand, including head of global markets, senior director of sports marketing, director of brand marketing and innovation, and senior manager for sports marketing.
Shea started his career at PepsiCo in 2003 as the marketing manager for Mountain Dew and then served as sports marketing manager for Pepsi’s national relationships with the NFL and MLB.
Subscription-based newsletter Beer Business Daily first reported Shea’s hiring.
Anchor Brewing Appoints Tom Riley as Brewmaster
Anchor Brewing Company announced today that Tom Riley is taking over as brewmaster after 36 years with the San Francisco craft brewery.
Riley assumes the role from Scott Ungermann, who had served in the role since January 2016, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Riley, who started on the packaging line in 1984, last served as an assistant brewmaster at Anchor, which is owned by Japanese beer maker Sapporo Holdings. In his new roles, Riley will be tasked with “all beer production, management of the historic brewhouse, careful preservation of the brewery’s classic beers like Anchor Steam as well as leading the innovation of products and production methods,” according to a press release.
Riley is Anchor’s fourth brewmaster since 1965 — a list that includes Fritz Maytag, Mark Carpenter and Ungermann.
“Fritz Maytag, Mark Carpenter and Scott Ungermann were all committed to keeping our classics, like Anchor Steam, in their purest forms, using the most traditional techniques, while still innovating new beer styles, brewing methods and beers that carry forward the next generation of Anchor’s legacy,” he added. “It’s an honor and privilege to follow in the footsteps of these brewing icons and continue the legacy at Anchor. We have a lot of exciting new things coming up and I’m extremely proud to be a part of it all.”
As for Ungermann, he has departed the company and left the industry “to pursue other interests,” a spokesperson told Brewbound.
“During Scott’s time as Brewmaster, he built an incredibly strong team of brewers and set up a new framework for the future of growth and innovation at Anchor Brewing Company,” the spokesperson added.
Riley’s promotion to brewmaster comes during “Anchor Steam Week” in San Francisco, a host of virtual experiences on Instagram Live.
Karbach Brewmaster to Open Brewery in Tomball, Texas
Chris Juergen, the brewmaster of Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned Karbach Brewing Company, plans to open a 10,500 sq. ft. brewery, restaurant, and packaging and distribution facility in Tomball, Texas, according to a press release.
Construction is slated to begin in Q4 with a target of opening in Q2 2021, according to the press release. The Tomball Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) Board approved an incentive deal with Juergen’s company, CCJ Collaborations, for the brewery and restaurant in the Tomball Business & Technology Park.
“Tomball is a place that fits this project and allows us to be a part of a welcoming community,” Juergen said. “We want to start by focusing hyper-local and doing that in Tomball makes sense.”
The new facility will include “significant indoor and outdoor space for visitors” on 4.6 acres. Juergen will reveal the name of the brewery in the coming months.
Former Molson Coors Execs Join Canateq Holdings Advisory Board
Two former Molson Coors have joined the board of Canateq Holdings, according to a press release last month.
Mark Hunter, who retired from the beer manufacturer in September 2019, joins the advisory board of Canateq, which describes itself as a “modern biotech company that developed a new manufacturing technology to convert raw cannabis oil into nanosized active ingredients without the use of harmful chemicals; unlocking the solution to the longstanding beverage fortification problem.”
In his board role, Hunter will be tasked with helping shape the growth strategy for the business.
In addition to Hunter, Kandy Anand, the former chief growth officer of Molson Coors, joined the board. Anand exited Molson Coors in December 2019 and had previously served as Molson Coors International CEO from January 2010 through October 2016.
The company said Anand “will serve as a fundamental part of the advisory board” and Canateq’s global commercialization strategy.