Canarchy’s beer sales outside bars and liquor stores grew by 14% in 2019, while Oskar Blues’ sales in the same segment rose by a third.
The Longmont-based brewery collective said its eight breweries shipped 480,000 barrels last year, up from 420,000 in 2018. It also reported that beer sales in general-purpose grocers and convenience stores rose 22 percent between 2018 and 2019.
Oskar Blues Brewery’s grocery sales increased by 33% in that same time frame, driven by what it said was a 71% increase in sales for its sample packs after shifting from a 12-can box to 15.
Salt Lake City’s Squatters Craft Beers and Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing edged out Oskar Blues, with 36% year-over-year sales growth.
Canarchy’s sales growth comes at a time of upheaval in the craft-brewing industry, especially for mid-size independent brewers struggling with the cost pressures of managing a distribution footprint and maintaining growth in an industry filled with competition.
Fort Collins’ New Belgium Brewing Co. is in the final stages of selling itself to a subsidiary of Japanese brewing giant Kirin Holdings Ltd. after making the surprise announcement last year. It follows other large Colorado craft brewers selling to major brewers, like AB InBev (NYSE: BUD) purchasing Breckenridge Brewery and Avery Brewing Co. selling a majority stake to a Spanish company.
Canarchy is backed by Fireman Capital Partners, a private equity firm based outside of Boston.
