• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

Power move: Brooklyn Brewery launching sales, distribution platform with 21st Amendment, Funkwerks deals

August 1, 2017Chris Crowell

The beer industry is going to the mattresses. After several big moves by Big Beer companies to add new craft brands in order to position them in front of more accounts and more customers (and squeeze out independent craft brands), the craft beer industry is making some power moves of its own.

To help tip the competitive balance back toward independent craft beer,  the Brooklyn Brewery, 21st Amendment Brewery and Fort Collins-based Funkwerks Brewing Co. are launching a new sales and distribution platform effective January 1, 2018. The combined sales organization includes a field sales and key accounts team of 70 salespeople and 90 Brand Ambassadors covering 38 states.

“The changes in the competitive landscape demand creative new go-to-market strategies,” said Robin Ottaway, president of Brooklyn Brewery. “We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have found partners who share our passion for beer, want to remain independent and hold a long-term view.”

brooklyn brewery

Brooklyn Brewery has made minority investments in both 21st Amendment and Funkwerks in support of the partnership. The three partners will co-develop annual sales and marketing plans and together look for additional beverage companies to join the fun.

From the Brooklyn Brewery announcement:

What does this all mean for you, exactly? There’s still plenty of work to do, but you can expect our collective beers to spread further than before. Yes, that means Brooklyn Lager will someday soon pour in the Bay Area, and 21st Amendment cans will roll forth along the Gulf Coast, and Funkwerks will pop up in Brooklyn. Plus, there will be lots and lots of parties, with plenty of beer from all of us. Again, that’s what this all comes down to: having fun with your friends. It’s just helpful when your friends happen to make excellent beer.

The scope of this is plan is even more interesting when you remember the slew of international partnerships Brooklyn Brewery has cemented in the last few years.

“The three breweries and sales teams really fit together well,” said Dave Duffy, VP of business development for Brooklyn who’ll lead the new platform. “We’re aligned where we need to be, complementary where we need to be and have a lot of domestic and international territory to grow into together. We can’t wait to start adding value to our retail and wholesale partners in a compelling new way.”

“Each of us brings something different to the table,” added Dave Wilson, president of 21st Amendment. “From the diverse beers we produce to our unique perspectives, origins and brand personalities, we’re thrilled to band together with Brooklyn and Funkwerks and bring great beer to more craft drinkers across the U.S.”

Funkwerks especially looks to take advantage of this new platform and gain access to a large and well-trained sales team and top-quality brewing skill.

“From there we get to stay independent, control our destiny and focus on doing what we truly love to do — make creative, compelling and delicious beers,” said Brad Lincoln, co-founder of Funkwerks.

“American craft brewers need to stick together and find new ways to meet the challenges of the 21st Century marketplace,” said Brooklyn Founder Steve Hindy. “We are excited to work with 21st Amendment and Funkwerks to ensure the spirit of independence that built the craft beer revolution continues to lead that revolution.”

Victory Brewing, Southern Tier unite, form new big-time craft beer alliance

Microstar Stone Brewing Co. Keg Logistics
Brooklyn Brewery partners with 21st Amendment and Funkwerks, chooses MicroStar to deliver multi-brewery logistics platform
brooklyn 35 feature
Brooklyn Lager turns 35 and more beers to know this week
Brooklyn-Brewery
Brooklyn Brewery brews with nutritious, sustainable West Africa grain fonio and more beers to know this week
1.-Austin-Beerworks-_OFCOLOR
Austin Beerworks amplifies Black culture with WKND Gold and more beers to know this week

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. stevestrem says

    August 2, 2017 at 5:37 pm

    Great news! I’ll be able to buy 21st Amendment Brewery AND Brooklyn Brewery beers in Colorado? Dreamy! I hope they can find some shelf space…

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • 805 Beer debuts trailer for documentary “Inverted Perspective,” focused on freestyle motocross champion Vicki Golden
  • 10 craft beer variety packs that have us excited to try new beer
  • Stone Brewing teams with Sanuk for a lineup of summer sandals
  • Take a look at Jack’s Abby’s renovated Beer Hall and its sweet new Tradition Meets Tech pilot system

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • 10 craft beer variety packs that have us excited to try new beer
    March 27, 2023
  • Take a look at Jack’s Abby’s renovated Beer Hall and its sweet new Tradition Meets Tech pilot system
    March 27, 2023
  • CCBA California Craft Beer SummitState of California Craft Beer: Covid recovery challenged by competition, consolidation
    March 23, 2023
  • Koga-brothers-karben4Karben4 Brewing to relaunch Ale Asylum brand
    March 20, 2023
  • 4 steps to understanding the filtration process in craft beer
    March 20, 2023
  • newbelgium_2023_wildnectar-shopping-basket_family_IMG_2Beyond beer: Examples of craft breweries exploring canned cocktails
    March 16, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC