Molson Coors Beverage Company has announced plans to cease production at its Irwindale, CA brewery by September 2020.
Additionally, Molson Coors has entered into an agreement with Pabst Brewing Co. which gives them an option to purchase the Irwindale facility.
“This move will allow us to optimize our brewery footprint while streamlining our operations for greater efficiency across the network,” said Chief Integrated Supply Chain Officer Brian Erhardt. “While it was a very difficult decision, we have extra capacity in our system and Irwindale’s production can be absorbed by other breweries in our network.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a plan recently announced by Molson Coors to revitalize and restructure the business to get back on track. While ceasing production at the Irwindale facility is not part of the larger revitalization plan announced in October 2019, it does not impact previously announced cost savings guidance.
The Irwindale brewery, which opened in 1980, employs approximately 470 people and produced 4.8 million barrels, shipped to 261 independently-owned distributors in 2019. Brands produced include but are not limited to: Miller Lite, Coors Light, Miller High Life, MGD, Steel Reserve, Miller 64 and several brands for Pabst. Over the next nine months, products currently produced in Irwindale will be transitioned to other breweries, primarily Golden, Colo., and Fort Worth, Texas.
[Editor’s Note: As the beer industry continues to evolve and more alcoholic drink options become available, decisions like this one will continue. This is not a “craft” vs “corporate” thing, this is a result of a changing market that will affect all sectors of the beer industry.]
Terry Bunch
