Portland, OR and Boone, NC – Craft Brew Alliance, Inc. (“CBA”) (Nasdaq: BREW), a leading craft brewing company, announced today it will distribute beers for NC-based Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Inc. (OTC: HOPS) as part of a master distribution agreement between both brewing companies. The distribution agreement marks the next phase in CBA’s strategic partnership with the fast-growing NC brewery, and will help extend AMB’s reach in time for North Carolina Beer Month.
“We are committed to bringing distinctive, authentic craft beers and brands that are rooted in community and local heritage to beer lovers across the United States. North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing craft beer states, and the opportunity for Appalachian Mountain Brewery – which is loved just as much for its delicious brews as its leadership in sustainability and community involvement – is tremendous,” said Andy Thomas, chief executive officer, CBA. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with them to bring their beers to more consumers through this distribution agreement, and look forward to continuing to build on our partnership in the future.”
As part of the distribution arrangement, CBA will market, sell, and distribute Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s Long Leaf IPA, Honey Badger Blond Ale, Black Gold Porter, as well as beers from the brewery’s Small Batch Series, exclusively through CBA wholesalers. The beers will continue to be brewed at Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s facility in Boone, and will be available in draught and 16oz can packages. The two companies are also discussing opportunities to leverage CBA’s brewing capacity to increase production of Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s beers to make them available to consumers throughout the Appalachian region before the end of 2015.
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CBA has built a phenomenal national network with its wholesaler partners, and we couldn’t be more excited to become a part of it as we continue to grow our business,” said Sean Spiegelman, chief executive officer, Appalachian Mountain Brewery. “Through this agreement, we expect that AMB beer sales will grow exponentially as we increase distribution in key regions. With NC Beer Month around the corner, we’re looking forward to getting more of our beers into beer lovers’ hands across the state.”
CBA and Appalachian Mountain Brewery entered into a strategic partnership in December 2014. The two brewing companies were introduced after the NC brewery won the Startup Brewery Challenge hosted by Brewbound in Boston. CBA is a four-time sponsor of the contest, in which craft brewery owners have three minutes to present their business models and pour one beer that receives immediate feedback from an expert panel of judges. Following the Challenge, CBAand Appalachian Mountain Brewery had an opportunity to work together on a collaboration beer, and it was during this experience that the companies discovered a strong cultural similarity and mutual interest in exploring a longer-term partnership that would align with both companies’ values and business objectives.
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