Sierra Nevada VP of sales Nick Lundquist has resigned from the company “to pursue other opportunities,” according to a note shared with wholesalers by Joe Whitney, the Chico, California-headquartered craft brewery’s chief commercial officer.
“We are grateful to Nick for his substantial accomplishments and his many years of service,” Whitney wrote. “During his tenure, Nick contributed significantly to the growth and success of Sierra Nevada, and helped build our best-in-class sales team.”
Whitney will assume the sales leadership role as the nation’s third-largest craft brewery by volume searches for a new sales leader.
Lundquist joined Sierra Nevada in 2002 and served in several roles. In May 2017, he was promoted to VP of sales, after building and leading the company’s national accounts team.
Whitney wrote that Lundquist remains “a true fan of Sierra Nevada” and would “look back on his time with the company as some of the best years of his life.”
Year-to-date through May 8, Sierra Nevada’s dollar sales are up 2.4%, as the company cycles tough comps from the year-ago pandemic stock-up period, according to market research firm Nielsen IQ. Up against those tougher comps, the company’s sales are down -13.1% over the latest four-week period. Sierra’s dollar share has held steady though, at 0.8%.
Sierra Nevada is the 12th largest overall beer category vendor through mid-April, according to market research firm IRI. Off-premise dollar sales of Sierra Nevada offerings through April 18 are up 8.3%, to $95.2 million, the firm reported.
Sierra Nevada holds the third and fourth best-selling craft brands, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale ($31.2 million in sales, -3.5%) and Hazy Little Thing (nearly $29.6 million in sales, +26.9%) through mid-April in multi-outlet and convenience retailers tracked by IRI.
Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo Extra IPA is the brewery’s 18th best-selling brand, generating nearly $12.6 million in sales, a decline of 15.1%, through mid-April in IRI tracked stores.