Yesterday, Beer Street Journal reported that Constellation Brands, the parent company of San Diego-based Ballast Point, laid off “a majority of their craft beer sales team” during a conference call.
That report dropped on the same day it was announced that Constellation would make a $4 billion investment into Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation, after a $191 million infusion last year.
West Coaster reached out to Ballast Point and received the following from Senior Director, Communications for Constellation Brands Beer Division Jamie Stein:
“We are making some organization changes – to our sales structure. We are aligning our Craft & Specialty Sales Team within our imports geographic Business Units. Some roles and responsibilities have shifted and we are right-sizing the sales team.
“This new sales structure will ensure right level of organizational emphasis, create efficiency and bring tighter alignment for short and long-term success.
“For the past few years, we have been on a journey driving our high-end leadership strategy -capitalizing on the strength of our core brands and building out beyond imports into the dynamic and growing parts of the high-end including Craft, ABA/FMB and Domestic Super Premium.
“Our Craft & Specialty platform is one of the keys to our high-end growth strategy. With our broadening portfolio of brands within Craft & Specialty, now is the time to implement a holistic commercial strategy for how we go to market with our entire portfolio and integrating our sales teams is part of our evolving approach.
“Through these changes, we are establishing the foundation for a future where we can deliver on our growth goals and have success in the long-term.”
A follow-up question asking how many Ballast Point team members were laid off was not answered by time of posting.
The decision immediately impacted at least one local bar owner’s tap list decisions. “I had to choose to support them or not, when they sold to ‘the big boys,'” said Dennis Borlek on the Facebook page of his Shelter Island bar Fathom Bistro Bait & Tackle.
“In my mind and publicly, I said I would continue to sell Fathom IPA as long as the new owners treated the employees well. Today is the last day Fathom Bistro will be carrying any Ballast Point beers. Two long time sales folks I know were laid off. My taps are important to me. The beers that we serve represent friendships. I would not feel right selling Ballast Point knowing they shit canned good, hard working long term employees that are my friends.”