🫱 Left Hand Crowdfunds Craft Platform

Brewbound Insiders are getting details on Left Hand Brewing’s craft platform ambitions, and why leadership still believes in the craft brewery’s independence. 

Insiders are also:

• Reading about Sapporo-Stone workers in Virginia's desire to form a union and the company’s response;
• Digging into why wine is struggling to breakthrough in adult non-alcoholic drinks;
• Reviewing the latest weekly Circana scans;
• And finding out how to respond to an angry Mark Cuban.

Insiders also have access to the Brewbound Newsletter Archive, including previous newsletter-exclusive Insider content.

Become a Brewbound Insider today!

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Left Hand Brewing co-founder Eric Wallace has assessed today’s challenging landscape for craft brewers and believes his Longmont, Colorado-based company may have a solution.

Inspired by the publicly owned non-profit that controls the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers, Left Hand launched an investment round on crowdfunding platform WeFunder. The campaign hit its first goal, raising $490,481 from 205 investors.

One of Left Hand’s next goals for the round is to use $1.1 million of the estimated $2.37 million it hopes to raise to acquire another brewery or build a multi-brand platform. 

Wallace said: “We've always been pretty focused on what an independently operating brewery, or company in general, can do as an independent versus what it can do as non-independent. To me, generally, there's a very large gulf between them, so we're trying to find the path that allows us to stay independent.”

Insiders can read more about Left Hand’s contract brewing business and Wallace’s thoughts on the craft industry’s roller coaster ride.

Sapporo-Stone workers in Virginia have begun a union drive, VinePair’s Dave Infante reported Monday.

Workers at Sapporo-Stone's Richmond facilities are seeking “higher pay, more consistent scheduling and better working conditions,” per the report.

Insiders can read more about Sapporo-Stone’s trends, eventful 2024 and history with unions.  

While brewery menus are littered with near beer options and non-alcoholic (NA) spirits are making their way onto bar menus as the fastest growing category in the zero-proof set, wine remains one of the most difficult bev-alc formats to bridge the gap between fully dry consumers and the sober-curious drinkers driving category growth.

A multitude of unique challenges in production processes and consumer adoption make it harder for alcohol-removed wine to grow as quickly as other zero-proof options. NA wine appears to be falling behind other alcohol-free categories even as producers experiment with a blend of strategies to open new ground among consumers.

Insiders can dive into wine’s challenges, including production and consumer perception hurdles.

At Brewbound Live in Marina del Rey on December 11 + 12, beer and beverage-alcohol companies can participate in retailer One-to-One meetings with ExtraMile Convenience. The buyer will be available for private, pre-scheduled meetings, and brands will be selected at the retailer’s discretion.

ExtraMile Convenience is a successful, industry-recognized c-store brand with more than 1,000 franchised convenience stores in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Alabama, and Mississippi. The growing ExtraMile network leverages experience and efficiency of scale to deliver “extra” value.

Meet with Michelle Abdollah, the Category Manager of Alcoholic Beverages, during Brewbound Live. Michelle is a seasoned retail expert with over 15 years of experience in merchandising and operations. With a proven track record of driving growth and profitability, Michelle has honed her skills through various leadership roles at 7-Eleven and Target. Her expertise has earned her recognition as one of the Top Women In Convenience by Convenience Store News in 2024.

Beer and beverage-alcohol professionals attending Brewbound Live can also meet with Whole Foods beer category buyers, with additional retailers to be added soon!

You must be registered for Brewbound Live to be considered for a retailer meeting. Once you register for the event, you will receive an email with instructions for signing up.

Register for Brewbound Live 2024.

The Brewbound team is hosting a free beer industry happy hour on Sunday, September 29 from 4 to 6 p.m. PT at The Church by The Lost Abbey in San Diego! Kick off NBWA with us in downtown San Diego with industry networking, Lost Abbey beers and light appetizers.

Industry professionals within the beer and beyond industries are invited to attend the free happy hour. Prior registration is required.

Here are the details:

Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024 

Time: 4–6 p.m. PT

Location: The Church by The Lost Abbey (1313 J St, San Diego, CA 92101)

Learn More + Register for Free >>

Headed to NBWA that week? The Brewbound Podcast hosts, Jess, Justin, and Zoe, will be recording podcast interviews on the show floor. Visit our Brewbound Podcast studio located in the Product Showcase area for a unique opportunity to connect with our Brewbound team in-person as they discuss the latest trends, industry insights, and interview key players in the world of brewing.

Want to schedule some time to chat during the show? Email us at [email protected].