Kalamazoo, Michigan — Adapt, integrate, innovate — three words summarizing Bell’s Brewery’s first year after founder Larry Bell’s long-standing independent brewery sale.
Bell, who founded the brewery in 1985, announced the sale of the popular craft brewery to international beverage company Lion in November 2021, completing the sale on the final day of the year.
Related: Bells Brewery was acquired by the Australian company that acquired New Belgium Brewing in 2019.
Key to the merger of Bells and fellow craft beer giant New Belgium Brewing Company, the sale will result in increased production, an expanded national footprint, and increased philanthropic efforts both nationally and regionally. It’s on the rise, Carrie Junker, Bell’s executive vice president, said in an exclusive interview with MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette on Friday, January 20.
“Becoming a national brand has been an aspiration for Bell’s leadership team for several years,” Juncker said. “But then we went through COVID, we went through brewery sales, and we focused on integration last year, so last year was a little bit more focused on growing the brand and more focused internally.”
Bells Vice President Carrie Junker poses for a photo at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com
Still, the brewery expanded its footprint to Northern California and Montana last year. In the first half of the year, Bells was in five of his remaining six states that have not yet been offered, highlighted in other Pacific Northwest states such as Oregon, Washington and Idaho. You’ll find your way to the grocery shelf in no time.
By the end of June, Juncker said, Hawaii will be the only frontier state without Bells.
“We’re particularly excited about Pac Northwest,” she said. “I think markets like Seattle and Portland would be really great markets for us.
The brewery has fallen just short of its target of producing 500,000 barrels in 2022 and has added a second canning line ready to start in early February, with ongoing expansion to the rest of the country. However, Junker said the forecast will exceed that. Goals, and some for this year.
Comstock Township Brewery’s new canning line, which has already been tested with beers available for sale, will double the capacity of beer Bells can can, just in time for Oberon season. Junker said.
For the first time this year, during Oberon season, the brewery will also offer fans an Oberon Variety Pack, Junker said.
Bell’s is gearing up for a nationwide launch of Cherry Oberon, along with several other favorite Oberon varietals previously only available in Kalamazoo, but the brewery’s commitment to its hometown could soon change. No, Mr. Junker said.
“We’ve introduced some new consumer test pieces downtown so people can be a part of the research and development we’re doing and offer really great opinions. Their honesty And we know we’re on track and we’re not going to release something that’s going to fail,” said Juncker. “It’s new.”
In addition to that, Kalamazoo has Eccentric Cafe and Bell’s General Store, which she said will continue to sell exclusive merchandise only available at those two locations.
“It’s been really tough being where we announced the sale of the brewery and we haven’t been able to fully co-exist with the community at the same time as COVID,” Junker added. come in and i think you’re still seeing the smiles they’re getting great service the beer is good the show is back and those local fans are still coming in and still like the bell I feel that.
Related: The sun shines down on the Oberon Day celebration crowd at Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo
Junker said the Eccentric Cafe and Beer Garden has a lot planned for the next few months, including Oberon Day on Monday, March 20th. First weekend in June.
Joe Hartler and The Rainbow Seekers will perform at Bell’s Brewery Beer Garden on Friday, September 24, 2021. (MLive file photo)Kalamazoo Gazette
The brewery itself, which has reclaimed the top spot for Michigan’s craft breweries with production in 2022, said Junker said that while many of its brands are on the rise, national craft beer sales are on the rise. We’re well positioned, as it fell between 7% and 8%.
Bell’s has received a positive response from the market for its year-round variety pack and the Hearted family of beers to accompany the recently released Two Hearted. In addition to Oberon’s variety pack, Juncker said Bell fans can expect more innovation on the lager in 2023.
Related: Bell’s Adds Hazy Hearted IPA And More To Two Hearted Family Of Beers
“You’re going to see us play a little bit more in the national accounts. We’re going to see some innovation in family at heart. Most people are really excited about that,” she said. “But with the same quality measures that John (John Mallett, who recently announced his retirement) has put in place, we brew every drop of Two Hearts in Kalamazoo and will continue to do so.” To go.”
Juncker noted the growth of Bell’s craft partner, New Belgium, and the Colorado Brewery’s expansion of its footprint by opening a second production facility in Asheville, North Carolina, to meet demand. said it had no plans to do the same. A second canning line goes online.
“We have all the water we need to make beer. We have a great utility system and great partnerships here in Kalamazoo,” she said. “So we’re going to continue to invest here.”
Related: Bell’s Brewery looks to the future under local leadership and New Belgium partnerships.
The investment in the community that got Yuker most excited over the past year was the brewery’s exciting donation program. The program donates $1 of every barrel sold to a local or national charity or nonprofit. Over the course of 2022, the brewery has donated more than $480,000 of his, part of which he has donated to the local Kalamazoo community along with nonprofits like Gryphon Place and OutFront Kalamazoo.
“That might be what I was most proud of during our integration last year: the formalization of the Inspired Giving program to truly allow us to carry on the legacy Larry left behind of caring for our community. We can get more people involved and, frankly, more funding,” said Juncker.
The program involves a group of more than 20 employees who select grant recipients that align with the brewery’s principles and goals, she said.
Other achievements over the past year, Juncker said, include raising the brewery’s internal minimum wage, a combined benefits program with New Belgium, and ensuring that employees across the country have access to the medical care they need, wherever they need it. It’s what happened. If you couldn’t access it locally.
“There’s not much for the changed consumer,” she said. “We’ve got better distribution and a little more play with national accounts and chains that are part of this larger system. Behind the scenes in IT, Finance, Accounting, Payroll and HR. has many unsung heroes.”
Related: Bell’s is sold to global breweries, so we look back on Kalamazoo’s history as a flagship brewery
One of the big changes locally was the recent departure of Mallett, who was part of the joint leadership team with Yuker and was responsible for managing the Comstock brewery and innovation across New Belgium and Bell’s platforms.
John Mallett and Laura Bell, production managers at Bell’s Brewery, September 15, 2011 in Comstock Township, Michigan. Mallett, who is currently vice president of brewing and quality at Bells, announced he would be stepping down in February 2023 after more than 21 years with the company. (MLive material photo)Cal
Plans for how the brewery will proceed with Mallett’s replacement are not clear at this time, Junker said.
“Those are big shoes to fill,” she said. “Frankly, I’m not sure one person can do it alone. John Mallett is just one. That’s what we’re currently digging into as a leadership team.”
While there are no plans to add another craft brewery to New Belgium and Bells at Lion, which would essentially flush out the leadership team naturally, Juncker said the current Bells/New Belgium leadership team will always have potential. said he was looking for a suitable brewery partner. .
“The good thing about joining a team like New Belgium is that we are always looking three to five years ahead, and it may not be as short a period as it was when we were an independent brewery.” she said.
Ultimately, she said, the focus is on connecting Bell’s customers with good beer, food and experiences.
“We have to continue to find ways to connect with them in meaningful ways and be a part of their experience and their family’s experience,” Juncker said. And that part hasn’t changed.”
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