PORTLAND, OR. – Craft Brew Alliance, Inc. (CBA) (Nasdaq:BREW), an independent craft brewing company operating Kona Brewing Company, Omission Beer, Redhook Brewery and Widmer Brothers Brewing, has signed an agreement with CraftCanTravel (CCT) to exclusively distribute the four craft beer brands to Europe and Asia.
“As our brands continue to develop and grow we are excited to begin sharing our beers with the international beer community through CraftCanTravel,” said Andy Thomas, president of commercial operations. “We see significant opportunity for US craft beers internationally and CBA is uniquely positioned to be an export leader because our brand portfolio offers a wide variety of beers to satisfy any beer drinking occasion.”
Through our exclusive agreement, CraftCanTravel has begun distributing select beers and brands to China, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. CBA and CCT will focus distribution on Kona Longboard Lager and Big Wave Golden Ale, Omission Lager and Pale Ale, Redhook Long Hammer IPA and Pilsner, and Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen and the Rotator IPA Series. Specific beers will vary by country.
CraftCanTravel is the first full service craft beer exporting company in the US market focused on exporting US craft beers to foreign markets, building long term relationships with respective importers, and actively and directly managing craft beer portfolio performances in those markets. CCT was launched in 2012 by a team lead by Maarten Kruijtzer, a 22 year beer industry veteran and former Heineken senior executive with extensive export experience across four continents. The exclusive agreement between CraftCanTravel and Craft Brew Alliance will ensure that the quality and integrity of CBA’s beers is maintained throughout distribution, allowing consumers in markets around the world to enjoy the wide range of the company’s unique beers and brands.
About Craft Brew Alliance:
CBA is an independent, publicly traded craft brewing company that was formed with the merger of leading Pacific Northwest craft brewers – Widmer Brothers Brewing and Redhook Ale Brewery – in 2008. With an eye toward preserving and growing one-of-a-kind craft beers and brands, CBA was joined by Kona Brewing Company in 2010. Craft Brew Alliance launched Omission beer in 2012.
When Kurt & Rob Widmer founded Widmer Brothers Brewing in 1984, they didn’t confine their brewing exploration to strict style guidelines. To this day, Widmer Brothers continues to create craft beers with a unique and unconventional twist on traditional styles that are award winning and please a wide range of craft beer lovers. Redhook began in a Seattle transmission shop in 1981 and those colorful roots are reflected in the brand’s personality to this day. The eminently drinkable beers consistently win awards and please crowds across the United States. Kona Brewing was founded in 1994 by the father and son team of Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa, who dreamed of crafting fresh, local-island brews with spirit, passion and quality. As the largest craft brewery in Hawaii, Kona personifies the laid-back, passionate lifestyle and environmental respect of the Hawaiian people and culture. Omission beer is the first craft beer brand in the United States focused exclusively on brewing great tasting craft beers with traditional beer ingredients, including malted barley, that are specially crafted to remove gluten.
