The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) opened a portal today for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) borrowers of loans $150,000 or smaller to apply for loan forgiveness directly from the federal agency. “The SBA’s new streamlined application portal will simplify forgiveness for millions of our smallest businesses — including many sole proprietors — who used funds… Read more »
New York City will require proof of vaccination to enter indoor bars and restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues for both customers and workers, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The city is the first in the U.S. to institute such a requirement through what it is calling the ”Key to NYC Pass” program.
San Franciscans will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result to sit indoors at bars following new guidance from the San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance. “The San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance is extremely concerned by a recent uptick in cases of COIVD-19 among our staff members, especially those who are fully vaccinated,” the organization wrote in a statement.
Beer industry depletions (sales-to-retailers) volumes tracked by beverage alcohol invoicing and logistics firm Fintech have increased 9% year-to-date through Week 27 compared to the same period last year, National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones and Fintech director of distributors Jim Kallies shared yesterday during a quarterly review of the industry’s performance.
In a year when craft beer volumes declined for the first time in the modern craft era, drinker interest in craft beer did not abate, Brewers Association (BA) chief economist Bart Watson said during his presentation of the trade group’s annual consumer poll.
A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives seeks to jumpstart business travel and dining to support the hospitality industry and would offer a tax credit for unmerchantable inventory that spoiled during the pandemic, including out-of-code beer.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ended the state’s state of emergency on Thursday, which meant the expiration of delivery and to-go privileges granted to breweries, bars and restaurants during the pandemic. The New Jersey bill (S.B. 3452) that would have brought the state excise tax rate on spirits-based, ready-to-drink canned cocktails in line with beer has been pulled from consideration for now, sources confirmed with Brewbound.
Ball Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum beverage cans, will continue to allocate inventory to customers and import cans from overseas due to short supply throughout this summer, executive vice president and chief financial officer Scott C. Morrison said yesterday during a public session of the Deutsche Bank Global Basic Materials Conference. “In the Northern Hemisphere, both in Europe and U.S. we’ll be on allocation again this summer,” he said. “We’re coming into this summer in North America extremely tight on inventory.”
A nationwide truck driver shortage is causing headaches for several industries, including the beer industry. The U.S. pool of truck drivers with commercial drivers licenses (CDL) is 50,000-60,000 workers short of where it should be.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot proposed a new business relief package Wednesday, which includes the implementation of a 10 p.m. curfew on off-premise alcohol sales; alcohol to-go sales and delivery will no longer be allowed in Massachusetts after the Commonwealth’s state of emergency ends June 15.
Video replay is now available for the first Brew Talks event of 2021. A year into the pandemic, beer industry leaders discuss the pathway to recovery. Panelists include Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione, BevMo’s Amy Gutierrez, the Winking Lizard Tavern’s John Lane and the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Julie Verratti.
Hop Butcher For The World has reached an agreement with Half Acre Beer Co. to purchase its Lincoln Avenue brewery and taproom in Chicago.
Legal drinking age New Jerseyans who get their first dose of one of the available vaccines can show their vaccination card at one of 13 participating breweries across the state for a complimentary beer. The Brewers Guild of New Jersey collaborated with the state on the “Shot and a Beer” program, part of the larger “Operation Jersey Summer,” which aims to vaccinate 4.7 million New Jerseyans by June 30.
With vaccines now available to all adults, governors are beginning to roll back the restrictions placed on bars and restaurants aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.
