Dogfish Head increased shipments 17 percent in 2013

Dogfish Head, ranked No. 13 on the Brewers Association top 50 list based on sales volume in 2012, shipped 202,005 barrels (bbls) of beer in 2013, which was a 17 percent increase over 2012, with depletions increasing at the same pace. Founder Sam Calagione said those results exceeded the year’s goal by 700 bbls.

“2013 was a momentous year at Dogfish Head; we passed our anticipated goal of shipping 201,081 bbls of beer,” said Calagione in his letter to distributors. “In one of the most highly competitive years in our segment we crossed a mile stone that 19 years ago wouldn’t have even been in our crosshairs.”

The company’s IPA portfolio of nine different beers, reached 158,872 bbls or 79 percent of total business and, growing grew at a pace of 22 percent. 60 Minute accounted for 48 percent of the company’s total business, with 90 Minute at 20 percent. Dogfish Head also launched seven new brands in 2013; its seasonal business grew 18 percent.

Dogfish Head shipped 745,387 four packs, an 18 percent growth rate. The company officially shipped 1.2 million bottles of occasional beers, and its draft business grew 18 percent. The Dogfish Head family of beers grew 30 percent in the grocery channel; off-premise grew 13 percent in total case volume and accounted for 61 percent of total business. On-premise grew 20 percent in total case volume and accounted for 39 percent of total business.

“Our home market is still strong and growing rapidly,” Calagione stated. “The seven states that we call ‘home’ grew 12 percent and accounts for 50 percent of our total business. New states only accounted for less than 0.5 percent of our total business in 2013.”

Dogfish Head re-entered three states it pulled out of in 2010. Within its footprint, the company noted these growth figures:

• Illinois: +40 percent
• Texas: +32 percent
• New Jersey: +24 percent
• California and Florida: 22 percent
• New York: +18 percent

A look at 2014

“We reached 12 regional managers in 2013 and plan on doubling our sales force by the end of 2014, with the first wave of hires happening in the next 90 days,” Calagione stated. “Our plan is to finalize partners in the rest of Wisconsin and Indiana during the first quarter along with launching the entire state of Tennessee.”