2019 Craft Brewers Conference

Distribution Agreements: From Formation to Termination and Everything In-Between (Room Four Seasons Ballroom 1)

10 Apr 19
2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Tracks: Production Brewery Management

Speaker(s): Joseph Infante, Attorney, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone; Eugene Pak, Partner (Attorney), Wendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP; Joe Davis, Chief Operating Officer/General Counsel, New Belgium Brewing; Shauna Barnes, Off-Centered General Counsel, Dogfish Head Companies; Chris Messina, Legal Director, The Brooklyn Brewery

There are many myths, and a lot of confusion, in the craft beer industry as to what rights and obligations brewers have under beer distribution and franchise laws. This panel will demystify the law in this area and provide brewers with an overview of beer franchise laws and the three-tier system, the structure and issues that arise in distribution agreements, and recent legislative reforms. This will give brewers the information and tools they need to enter into win-win distribution agreements. The panel of in-house craft attorneys and seasoned litigators will drill down on the key terms of distribution agreements, including marketing and quality control, wholesaler benchmarks and requirements, defining the terms of exit including the term of engagement, and defining “good cause” and the brewer’s rights during the sale of the distributor to gain a deeper appreciation of why these terms matter and how they play out in real world conflicts between the parties.