In today’s crowded marketplace, bev-alc suppliers are asking themselves, ‘How do I get on shelves and stand out to retailers?’ 

A Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) panel attempted to answer that question last week in Philadelphia. In Today’s Top Story, Brewbound senior reporter Zoe Licatas has a recap of the session for Brewbound Insiders, including insights from craft breweries New Trail and Lawson’s Finest Liquids, and convenience chain network Global Partners. 

In today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter and on Brewbound.com, Insiders are also reading about: 

• Hard tea and lemonade extensions of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s Gin & Juice RTD;

• The exit of Athletic Brewing’s CMO, Andrew Katz;

• A new keg buyback program;

• The federal rescheduling of marijuana;

• And the return of Busch Light Apple.

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With today’s overcrowded shelves and endless bev-alc options, more and more suppliers are fighting for less and less retail space. 

“We have a fall and spring reset period that goes on where we're looking at about 600 different applicants for about 10 spaces in the convenience channel,” Mark Buonomo, senior category manager of beer, wine & spirits at convenience chain network Global Partners, shared last week during a Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) seminar. 

Buonomo was joined on stage by New Trail Brewing director of national accounts Paul Gephart, Lawson’s Finest Liquids chain account manager Matt Roth and Lawson’s VP of sales Seth Talmon. The panel shared tips for sticking out among the crowds and getting one of those coveted placements. 

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Athletic Brewing Company CMO Andrew Katz has left the dedicated NA beer maker after nearly 5 years. 

Katz announced his exit on LinkedIn Friday – although he and Athletic parted ways in March – recalling his first encounter with Athletic co-founder and CEO Bill Shufelt at the end of a 2018 half marathon. Katz wrote he was intrigued with what Shufelt was building and counted himself “a believer almost immediately.”

“That conversation, at the end of a trail race, changed my career,” he wrote. 

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West Coast rappers and business moguls Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are expanding their RTD line into hard tea and lemonade.

Building on the duo’s 2024 release Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop, Dre & Snoop’s Hard Iced Teas & Lemonades is non-carbonated and crafted with their ultra-premium Still G.I.N.

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It’s 1 quarter down, 3 to go for Boston Beer and Molson Coors. We’re setting our clocks early for Thursday morning when Molson Coors shares how its year started. Then, Boston Beer reports its Q1 results after the market closes. 

Lots to dive into on both, including (hopefully) a purchase price reveal for Monaco/Atomic Brands and BBC founder and CEO Jim Koch’s read on where the business is headed. 

Plus, this week’s Brewbound Podcast will feature an on-location interview with Carbon Copy co-founder Brendon Boudwin recorded from the Craft Brewers Conference BrewExpo trade show floor. 

As further evidence of our evolving drinking culture, adults in their 30s and 40s are now having a drink or 2 at home to pre-game before going out for the night, The Wall Street Journal reported. 

Millennials and Gen Xers are reliving their college days to save a few bucks before concerts, events or even a regular Friday night and who can blame them in these inflationary times, Insider’s Week in Beer newsletter writer Sean McNulty wrote.

Sean hits all the GIF-worthy news bits, plus unearths a bar tab older than the one you racked up freshman year. 

Catch up here

There is more anticipation for Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson’s annual “State of the Industry” address this year due to intentional adjustments to the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) schedule, which now places Watson at the end of the 3-day conference’s content. 

To keep media members from frothing at the mouth too much, Watson sat down with industry trade press Tuesday morning for a 2-hour Q&A session, answering a mix of pre-submitted and on-the-spot questions, touching on:

• Changes to CBC and the Great American Beer Festival (GABF);
• How international conflict is affecting brewers’ supply costs;
• What’s really pulling consumers away from craft; 
• And more. 

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