Dogfish Head Craft Brewery CEO Nick Benz will leave the company at the end of the the year.
Industry website and newsletter Brewbound reported that Dogfish founder Sam Calagione will take over as CEO with the company planning to recruit a president.
During 13 years at Dogfish, Nick served as the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operations Officer and for the past two years Chief Executive Officer.
Calagione relinquished the CEO’s post to pursue his passions in brewing and expansion of the brand into food, distillled spirits, music events and other areas.
“Nick has played an incredibly important role as a leader and brilliant business mind helping us grow in our own intentionally off-centered direction. His legacy is rich with accomplishments from overseeing the physical expansion of our state-of-the-art brewery to his stewardship of our collaborative culture,” Calagione stated in a release. “I think his greatest accomplishment has been nurturing, motivating, and growing the most talented and awesome team of leaders we have ever had in our 21 years. As we build our 2017 plan around our innovative products and amazing people, I can honestly say I have never been more excited for the future of Dogfish than I am right now.”
The release stated that Benz will be spending more time with his family and focusing more time on community endeavors including his role as the Board Chairman of the Jefferson School in Georgetown.
“I love Dogfish and everything it stands for. My journey started by adopting Sam’s dream then somewhere along the way I called it my own dream. I’ve given Dogfish my all for 13 plus years and starting in 2017 it is time for me to do the same for my wife and three young children. I will always have fond memories of my time at Dogfish. It is comforting to know my fellow co-workers will ensure the vision of Dogfish stays alive and well.” Benz stated in the release.
Benz has a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Brewbound and other sources have reported that Dogfish Head sales have been flat as competition intensifies and the company refrains from discounting.
In addition to the major expansion of its Milton brewery, Dogfish Head added additional capacity for spirits. Dogfish also operates an inn in Lewes and two restaurants in Rehoboth Beach.
The original brewpub location of Dogfish is undergoing a major renovation project after a tussle with the city of Rehoboth Beach over the project and whether it was grandfathered into an ordinance that limits the size of restaurants.
Dogfish has responded to the added competition by beefing up its marketing and sales efforts and redesigning its packaging.
Craft brewing companies in California and Colorado have been building breweries in the Eastern U.S. creating additional competition. Boston Beer (Sam Adams) one of the giants in craft brewing has seen declines in shipments. Calagione told Brewbound Dogfish shipments are flat for 2016 but should rise next year.
At the same time, however, thousands of “hyperlocal” craft breweries that sell brews at their establishments or in a limited area have sprung up and intensified competition.
Delaware and adjacent areas have been part of this trend, two examples being Iron Hill and Two Stones. Two Stones, a small chain of beer-focused restaurants in Delaware and Pennsylvania now operates its own brewery in Delaware County, PA. Iron Hill has a brewery at each of its dozen restaurants in the region.
Despite the added competition, craft brewers still work with one another and hold joint events here and elsewhere.
In anticipation of choppier waters, Dogfish Head now has a private equity firm with minority stake in the company.
Dogfish Head is ranked as the 16th largest craft brewer.
