Stone to open up a European Brewery?
Stone to open a Brewery in Europe? from stonebrew on Vimeo.
Cutting directly to the chase, Stone is considering opening up a brewery in Europe. At this point, a formal decision has not been made as to whether or not they will but they are beginning to explore all avenues to making this happen.
The impetus for starting a project of this magnitude came from the numerous inquiries from European Stone fans who have asked for their beers. With a firm commitment to quality, Stone has decided they’d rather ship kegs all the way to Europe where a number of things might happen to lower the quality of their beers. So now they’re putting out a RFP (Request for Proposal) and trying to see what options are available to them.
I find the whole idea of an American craft brewery expanding to meet a global demand fascinating. Stone is inviting us along on this journey, it’ll be interesting to see how this all turns out, if it turns out at all. Although a part of me wonders if Stone will end up like the macro breweries they’ve rallied against in the past. They may not yet equal the brewing capacity of an InBud (InBev/Anheuser-Busch) but Stone already has great distribution domestically. Opening up a brewery in Europe would satisfy European demand for their product but it would also be a foothold in which they can expand their distribution lines enabling them to push some of the other craft beer brands they distribute to an international audience.
Regardless, if they can make this work, it’s great for buzz and business. Take a look at me for instance, Stone has essentially put out a press release talking about nothing of any substance… and I’ve written a blog post about it. Hook, line and sinker. You’d think that with the sway and leverage they have in the craft beer world they’d be able to convince BevMo of not putting their beers on an end cap facing the afternoon sun.
Link to the Press Release.
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
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December 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
>Regardless, if they can make this work, it’s great for buzz and business. >Take a look at me for instance, Stone has essentially put out a press >release talking about nothing of any substance… and I’ve written a blog >post about it.
You got that right! Stone has basically turned the mundane process of finding a brewing facility in Europe and turned it into an internet reality show. It’s possible they already have a deal. I mean, think of the negotiations going on. What happens if after months and months, there’s no progress? Or if they go into negotiations with this expectation hanging over their head, or no other options? What if the only viable option to expand in Europe is contract brewing? Do they do the deal, take the money made in expanding into Europe, and go back on their word in front of their customers, or do they back out Eurpean expansion completely?
Quite frankly, this move comes across as either naively backing themselves into a corner, or a brilliant marketing move with a trick up their sleeves.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
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