Find this first on mybeerbuzz.com: From Dogfish Head & Samuel Adams:
We are excited to share the news today that we have agreed to merge Dogfish Head with our longtime friends-in-beer the Boston Beer company. As one of the pioneering and iconic players in the U.S. craft beer scene, Boston Beer is best known for their Samuel Adams brand, which launched in 1984. The company's portfolio also includes Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Twisted Tea, and Truly Spiked & Sparkling. We are excited to combine our own superpowers in the beer, spirits and off-centered experience worlds with Boston’s superpowers in building strong, diverse and innovative brands in craft beer and beyond-beer.
In the past few years, there has been an intense amount of consolidation among many craft breweries in the U.S. More than a dozen of our peers have sold to international conglomerates, others have come together through platforms bringing a handful of craft breweries together in roll-ups. While neither of those strategies appealed to us, we did realize that Dogfish Head would be a stronger company with the support of our friends at Boston Beer, and vice-versa. 
As many of you know, we have been a staunch supporters of independent craft beer in the U.S. In fact, both Boston Beer founder Jim Koch and Dogfish founder Sam Calagione worked hard with other leading craft brewery founders and the Brewers Association (hyperlink the underlined part to: https://www.brewersassociation.org/statistics/craft-brewer-defined/) to develop and champion what defines independent, small American brewers. Our merged company’s status as an independent craft brewery is very important to all of us and allows our co-workers to continue growing within this definition for many years to come. Together, we’ll be better positioned to compete with larger international beer conglomerates that are more than 50x our size, despite our combined company’s volume representing less than 2% of the beer sold in the U.S.
In 2011, our two companies first collaborated on SAVOR Flowers (hyperlink), a one-time release brewed for attendees of the SAVOR Craft Beer and Food Tasting in Washington D.C. Since then, over a beer at the Great American Beer Festival or at a Brewers Association meeting Sam and Jim would chat informally about working together in other ways. At the Extreme Beer Fest in Boston earlier this year, those conversations took on a new reality.
“We believe we are creating the most dynamic and diverse American-owned platform for craft beer and beyond,” explains Boston Beer’s Jim Koch. “Dogfish Head has a proud history as a craft beer pioneer with a brand that is beloved by American consumers and highly respected by the industry. This combination is the right fit as both Boston Beer and Dogfish have a passion for brewing and innovation, we share the same values and we will learn a lot from each other as we continue to invest in the high-end beer category. I am very happy that Sam Calagione will join the Board of Directors at Boston Beer. He is a tremendous friend, innovator and brewer, and I could not be more excited to work together with him for many years to come.”
As co-founders of Dogfish Head, the Calagione family believes so much in the future of the merged companies that we are all in, and are reinvesting nearly all of the proceeds back into the combined entity. The remaining Boston Beer stock that we retain will establish the Beer & Benevolence Foundation to support local charitable efforts that align with Dogfish Head’s off-centered mission.
We are very excited for this merger because it allows our companies to come together and double-down on what we really love doing.
Together, we’ll have two brewer-founders who will continue to lead brewing innovation.
Together, we’ll continue to be active and engaged leaders in the independent craft industry.
Together, our lineup of tasty drinks (IPAs, lagers, sours, tonics, spirits, teas and beyond!) and our awesome team of combined co-workers will deepen our brewing, distribution and retailing capabilities.
Most importantly, Dogfish’s band of off-centered co-workers will join the Boston Beer team to create a dynamic, American-owned platform for craft beer and beyond. Together we’ll be truly heavy.
Cheers.
Sam & Mariah Calagione
From Jim Koch:
We have exciting news to share with the Craft beer community today. Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head are coming together to create the most dynamic indie craft-beer company of the 21st century.
We are bringing together two of America’s pioneering and award-winning independent craft breweries – with the industry’s best collection of brewing talent and a dynamic portfolio of craft and beyond beer brands – to position our company for success in an ever-growing and ever-changing world of brewing.
Dogfish Head has an amazing history as one of craft beer’s leading innovators. From their crowd-favorite 60-min IPA, their industry leading sours, and new releases like Slightly Mighty and Seaquench, to their craft distilled spirits – Sam and the Dogfish Head brand are beloved by American beer drinkers and highly respected by our fellow industry leaders. I have a tremendous amount of admiration for what Sam Calagione and his wife Mariah have built down in Delaware and I am thrilled to welcome them to our Boston Beer family.
Sam is a tremendous friend, innovator and brewer. We’ve dedicated our careers to brewing delicious and interesting beers. Just as important as our passion for brewing is our commitment to championing and preserving the independent, American craft movement.
“Sam is a tremendous friend, innovator and brewer. We’ve dedicated our careers to brewing delicious and interesting beers. Just as important as our passion for brewing is our commitment to championing and preserving the independent, American craft movement.”
Together we’ve stood shoulder-to-shoulder to help further our industry – from the early days of the Institute for Brewing Studies, the creation of the Brewers Association, the craft beer definition and the Independent Brewer seal – and advocate for indie breweries of all sizes. The Dogfish Head team has sponsored and promoted our industry’s values through events like the Extreme Beer Fest, SAVOR, Hill Climbs, and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars hosting events for and with craft brewers’ guilds in many states and for the BA. And we’ve opened our warehouse to provide hops to hundreds of brewers during the hop shortage a decade ago, given loans to over 50 up and coming craft breweries, and provided coaching and counseling to hundreds more through the Brewing the American Dream Program. We will continue to work for the success of the indie craft brewing movement, now with a stronger, unified voice.
It makes us sound old to say it, but we have more than half a century of brewing experience between us. So we’ve seen the dramatic transformations the beer industry has experienced, especially in the last decade. As I wrote about two years ago in an article published by the New York Times, we’ve seen quite a bit of consolidation in beer. We’ve also seen a lack of transparency as two international brewing conglomerates gobble up regional brewers and market these faux craft beers as if they were still independent.
Our merger is different. This partnership provides an opportunity for us to join forces and successfully compete while retaining our position and leadership within the indie craft market. Sam will continue his leadership of Dogfish Head and together with the Dogfish team, the new Boston Beer Company will have the strongest portfolio of Craft and “beyond beer” brands in the industry – a powerful combination of high-end brands that span occasions and consumers. We’ll have a balanced offering of lagers, IPAs, sours, hard seltzer, spirits, and teas that consumers love and demand.
Even more important is the fact that we share a deep culture shaped by innovation, an obsession with quality, and values that span our communities and our co-workers. I realized how much we had in common back in 2011 the first time we collaborated, brewing a limited release beer called SAVOR Flowers for the BA’s annual food & beer event. We’ve also worked closely together as Board Members and active leaders within the BA community.
We are creating a company that will continue to push forward to drive the next generation of beer innovation and keep powering us to defy convention. I am so excited to see what else we can accomplish together.
Boston Beer and Dogfish Head have tested the limits of what great beer can be and together with our talented co-workers, the best teams in the business, we will write some of the next chapter in American brewing.
“I realized how much we had in common back in 2011 the first time we collaborated, brewing a limited release beer called SAVOR Flowers for the BA’s annual food & beer event.”
I think Sam best described what sets this powerful combination apart on his blog…
Together, we’ll have two brewer-founders who will continue to lead brewing innovation.
Together, we’ll continue to be active and engaged leaders in the independent craft industry.
Together, our lineup of tasty drinks (IPAs, lagers, sours, tonics, spirits, teas and beyond!) and our awesome team of combined co-workers will deepen our brewing and distribution capabilities.
I cannot wait to get this partnership going and see what exciting collaboration the future has in store for a combined Boston Beer and Dogfish Head, the ultimate craft beer company.
Cash and Stock Transaction, Valued at Approximately $300 Million, Combines Two Award-Winning Craft Beer Pioneers with Unrivaled Brewing Expertise and Portfolios of Leading Beer and “Beyond Beer” Brands
BOSTON, MA , May 9, 2019 – The Boston Beer Company, Inc (NYSE: SAM) and Dogfish Head Brewery today announced that the companies have signed a definitive merger agreement, bringing together two pioneering independent Craft breweries and two illustrious founders and brewers, Jim Koch and Sam Calagione.
Together, Boston Beer and Dogfish Head will create a powerful American-owned platform for craft beer and beyond. The new entity will possess more than half a century of Craft brewing expertise, a balanced portfolio of leading beer and “beyond beer” brands at high end price points, and industry leadership in innovation and quality. Following the transaction, the combined company will have a leading position in the high end of the U.S. beer market, bringing together Boston Beer’s craft beer portfolio and top-ranked sales team[I] with Dogfish Head’s award-winning portfolio of IPA and session sour brands.
The combined company will maintain its status as an independent Craft brewery, as defined by the Brewers Association. It will be better positioned to compete against the global beer conglomerates within the craft beer category that are 50- and 100-times its size, while still representing less than 2% of beer sold in the United States.
Most importantly, this combination brings together two of the leading founder-brewers in the United States, Jim Koch of Boston Beer and Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, both of whom will continue to lead brewing innovation for the newly-combined company. Sam and Mariah Calagione, Dogfish Head’s two co-founders, have elected to take substantially all of their merger consideration in the form of SAM stock and will collectively become the largest non-institutional shareholders after Jim Koch following the close of the transaction. Sam Calagione will join Boston Beer’s board of directors and Dogfish Head’s band of off-centered co-workers will join the Boston Beer team and continue to be heavily involved in beer and “beyond-beer” projects, as the companies expand opportunities for future innovation.
“We believe we are creating the most dynamic and diverse American-owned platform for craft beer and beyond,” said Jim Koch, founder and Chairman of The Boston Beer Company. “Dogfish Head has a proud history as a craft beer pioneer with a brand that is beloved by American consumers and highly respected by the industry. Sam and I have stood shoulder to shoulder in some of the defining efforts in Craft brewing including the creation of the Brewers Association, the craft beer definition, the craft brewer seal and the creation of the SAVOR food and beer event. This combination is the right fit as both Boston Beer and Dogfish Head have a passion for brewing and innovation, we share the same values and we will learn a lot from each other as we continue to invest in the high-end beer category. I am very happy that Sam will join the Board of Directors at Boston Beer. He is a tremendous friend, innovator and brewer, and I could not be more excited to work together with him for many years to come.”
“Not only are Dogfish Head and Boston Beer two original American breweries, but Jim Koch and I worked hard with other leading craft brewery founders and the Brewers Association to develop and champion what defines independent American brewers,” said Sam Calagione, founder and brewer of Dogfish Head. “This merger better positions Dogfish Head and our co-workers to continue growing within this definition for many years to come. In fact, Mariah and I believe so much in the future of our merged companies that we are all in, and personally we’re reinvesting nearly all of the proceeds back into the combined entity. We’re also proud to announce that we intend to devote a percentage of the Boston Beer stock that we receive to establishing a foundation and funding various local charitable programs.”
The combined company will be led by Boston Beer CEO, Dave Burwick. “This is a formidable combination of brands, incredible brewing talent, and leaders who remain 100 percent focused and committed to the long-term health of our breweries and growing the beer industry. United, we will have the highest quality, most distinct, high-end portfolio, from both a price-point and product perspective with the top-ranked sales organization to bring it to market. We expect that we’ll see more consolidation in the Craft industry over time, and we’ll be in the best position to take advantage of those changes.”
Boston Beer is recognized for helping launch the craft beer industry after opening its doors and brewing the first batch of Samuel Adams Boston Lager in 1984. From the launch of craft brewing to 2019 Sam Adams continues to be the most award-winning craft brewer in the world. In addition to its iconic Sam Adams beer, the company now offers nationally other leading brands such as Angry Orchard hard cider, Truly Hard Seltzer and Twisted Tea. Founded 23 years ago, Delaware-based Dogfish Head’s family of beers includes the continually-hopped 60, 90, and 120 Minute IPAs, and robust sour beer program led by SeaQuench Ale. Dogfish Head is recognized as an early leader in bringing culinary innovations to the U.S. craft beer scene, and Sam Calagione was named ‘Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional’ by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. Following the opening of their brewery and tasting room, Dogfish Head also established one of the first Craft distilleries in America, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats brew pub, Chesapeake & Maine restaurant, and the Dogfish Head Inn. The newly combined company will maintain a significant presence in Delaware.
Terms of the Transaction and Impact on the Boston Beer Company’s 2019 Financial Outlook
The transaction is expected to close late in the second quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions. Sam Calagione and his family will receive approximately 406,000 shares of Boston Beer stock based on a share price of $314.60. Dogfish Head shareholders will also receive $173 million in cash, most all of which is for the benefit of Dogfish Head’s financial investors, with the exception of certain transaction-related expenses.
Boston Beer expects that its current cash on hand and available line of credit will be more than sufficient to fund the cash component of the transaction. It is expected that Sam Calagione will join Boston Beer’s Board of Directors beginning in 2020. A copy of the definitive transaction agreements will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Dogfish Head is on pace to sell nearly 300 thousand barrels for the full year 2019, which would represent high single digit growth versus the prior full year. Net sales for the full year 2019 are expected to be between $110 and $120 million. Dogfish Head employs approximately 400 employees, produces most of its beer at its brewery in Milton, DE, and sells its beer in more than 40 states. Boston Beer plans to consolidate Dogfish Head results into Boston Beer’s financial results beginning late in the second quarter of 2019 and Boston Beer currently estimates that the transaction will be neutral to slightly accretive in 2019 and will not have a material impact on full-year 2019 earnings per diluted share.
Nixon Peabody served as legal counsel to Boston Beer in this transaction. Dogfish Head was advised by McDermott Will & Emery LLP, and Arlington Capital Advisors.
# # #
About the Boston Beer Company
The Boston Beer Company, Inc. (NYSE: SAM) began in 1984 when Founder and Brewer Jim Koch used a generations-old family recipe to brew beer in his kitchen. Inspired and unafraid to challenge conventional thinking about beer, Jim brought the recipe to life with hopes drinkers would appreciate the complex, full-flavor and started sampling the beer in Boston. He named the flagship brew Samuel Adams Boston Lager in recognition of one of our nation’s founding fathers, a revolutionary man of independent and pioneering spirit. Today, Samuel Adams is the world's most award-winning Craft brewery and remains focused on crafting the highest quality beers through innovation and experimentation in the relentless pursuit of better. Our portfolio of brands also includes Angry Orchard Hard Cider, Twisted Tea, Truly Hard Seltzer, Marathon Brewing Company, Wild Leaf Hard Tea and Tura Alcoholic Kombucha as well as several other craft beer brands brewed by A&S Brewing, our craft beer incubator. For more information, please visit our investor relations website at www.bostonbeer.com, which includes links to all of our respective brand websites.
About Dogfish Head Brewery
Dogfish Head has proudly been focused on brewing beers with culinary ingredients outside the Reinheitsgebot since the day it opened as the smallest American craft brewery 23 years ago. Dogfish Head has grown into a top-20 craft brewery and has won numerous awards throughout the years including Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 Brewery of the Year and the James Beard Foundation Award for 2017 Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional. It is a 400 coworker company based in Delaware with Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, an off-centered brewpub and distillery, Chesapeake & Maine, a geographically enamored seafood restaurant, Dogfish Inn, a beer-themed inn on the harbor and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and distillery featuring, The Tasting Room & Kitchen. Dogfish Head supports the Independent Craft Brewing Seal, the definitive icon for American craft breweries to identify themselves to be independently-owned and carries the torch of transparency, brewing innovation and the freedom of choice originally forged by brewing community pioneers. Dogfish Head currently sells beer in over 40 states and Washington D.C. For more information, visit www.dogfish.com.
0 comments (click to read or post):
Post a Comment
Please leave a comment...I do moderate each comment so it may not appear immediately...and please be nice! You can also comment using Disqus (below) or even comment directly on Facebook (bottom).