Maui Brewing (Kihei, HI) is practicing the art of adding by subtraction. The brewery will significantly pare down its 26-state footprint in order to nurture its growth at home and on the West Coast. The cut means ending mainland contract production. 

Brewbound managing editor Jessica Infante caught up with Maui president & COO Scott Metzger about those changes and how Maui has grown to become the 6th largest overall beer brand in the Aloha State.

In today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter and on Brewbound.com, Insiders are also learning about Sapporo’s 2026 brand plans, as well as product and package changes for Prime Hydration and Más+ by Messi.

Additionally, Insiders are reading about:

• Great Divide’s new taproom;
• Constellation Brands’ Modelo extensions;
• And Good Boy Vodka’s newest good boy. 

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

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At its simplest translation, the Hawaiian word aloha means both hello and goodbye – opposites in English. 

In a similar vein, the idea of market retrenchment in craft beer can sometimes indicate a brewery in decline. But for Maui Brewing (Kihei, HI), it’s the opposite. The brewery is preparing to slice its mainland footprint in half because the growth in western states far outweighs any possible upside in other markets. 

Maui president and COO Scott Metzger told Brewbound: “We're actually going to be discontinuing our mainland co-manufacturing arrangement at the end of this year, so we're winding that down.

“We're also going to be pulling out of a few markets where we're just really unable to support it in the way we'd like to, or maybe it didn’t even make a whole lot of sense for us to really be there to begin with.”

YTD through September 14, Maui is the 6th largest brand family by dollar sales in Hawaii, according to scan data Metzger shared. 

Insiders can read more about the growth of Maui’s hard seltzer portfolio and see what may be next for its beer family in 2026. 

Sapporo-Stone Brewing’s strategy for 2026 is to double the size of Sapporo Premium while tapping into pockets of growth for incremental gains, company leaders shared during a virtual distributor meeting last week.

Sapporo-Stone CEO Zachary Keeling emphasized that the U.S. remains the company’s “priority growth market,” echoing growth targets  he shared during last year’s meeting.

Insiders can read more about Sapporo-Stone's plans here.

Of all the hurdles (self-inflicted and otherwise) facing beleaguered hydration drink brand Prime, sugar may not be the most obvious.

Nevertheless, the influencer-led, Congo Brands-owned company is seeking to spark a sales and popularity rebound next year with Prime Zero, hitting stores in 16.8 oz. PET bottles in January 2026. 

Meanwhile, soccer superstar Leo Messi’s Más+ by Messi, the Mark Anthony Brands-backed venture, will shift its 4-SKU line of low-calorie hydration drinks exclusively into 12 oz. slim cans.

Insiders can read more about both moves.

Step away from the day-to-day and reconnect with the craft beer community at Brewbound Live 2025. Join two days of industry insight, honest discussion, and opportunities to build real relationships that move your brand forward. Register by October 24 to save. Learn more

Craft beer ended Q3 with decelerated declines compared to the end of Q2, and some notable growth acceleration from some of the segment’s top brands, according to the latest report from market research firm Circana.

Total craft dollar sales in the last 4 weeks [L4W] (data ending October 5) declined 4.8%, while volume, measured in case sales, fell 6.1%, marking a slight acceleration in declines compared to the previous 4-week period (dollar sales -4.1%, volume -6.1%, data ending September 7).

However, in the L12W, dollar sales declined 3.9%, while volume fell 5.6%, demonstrating improvement compared to YTD trends (dollar sales -4.8%, volume -6.1%) and compared to trends near the end of Q2 (dollar sales -5.4%, volume -7%, data ending July 13). 

Insiders can dive deeper into the report, including segment and top craft brand performances across off-premise channels.

For brewery and beverage alcohol operators, 2025 has been a pressure test, from rising costs and supply chain swings to distributor shakeups and unpredictable demand. Even the most seasoned teams are attempting to adjust their plans.

Brewbound Live is where the industry stops guessing.

On December 10–11 in L.A., operators across beer and beverage-alcohol will gather to swap hard-earned insights, recalibrate for the future, and connect with partners who understand what’s at stake.

Register before the weekend and save $100.

Take a look at just a few of the experts we’ll have on stage this December:

• Leah Wong Ashburn, Owner, President & CEO, Highland Brewing Company
• Nick Firestone, CEO, Firestone Walker
• Rosalie Kennedy, Director of Marketing, Athletic Brewing
• Mike LaRosa, Owner/Brewer, New Trail Brewing
• Jon Halper, Owner & CEO, Top Ten Liquors
• Sophia D’Angelo, Founder & CEO, Boston Experiential Group
• Andrew Hummel, Director Bev-Alc Vertical, CGA
• Kevin George, CMO, Garage Beer

There are also a number of options for additional education, networking and exposure, including 1:1 meetings, the Brewbound Live Pitch Slam, and various sampling opportunities throughout the event.

Register before the weekend to save >>

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Interested in other beverage coverage? 👀 Check out the BevNET Daily Briefing covering the broader beverage industry, including energy drinks, cannabis and other non-alcoholic beverages. Want to stick to the hard stuff? Subscribe to our Spirits Newsletter (published every 2 weeks). 

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