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Lagunitas execs struck a familiar theme to distribs at last week's Dogpile event, urging continued craft rationalization. Category development manager William Kellerman bemoaned a landscape with over 17K "active craft products" and 292K chain placements, even if those #s are down 2K and 48K from last yr, respectively. That trend signaled that it's "not if, but when craft returns to growth," William said, with natl brands expected to lead the charge. The top 20 craft suppliers grew mkt share by 157 bps, he noted. But even in this environment, sr sales & supply chain mgr JC Yambao added that 1 in 4 craft PODs was a one-case drop: "There are too many SKUs, too much choice, and not enough space." LSD to the Rescue? To help distribs, co introduced Lagunitas Smart Distribution (LSD) which "puts the AI in our IPA," said data scientist Aileen I&ntilde;iguez. The cheeky name - William, JC and Aileen were all dressed as LSD evangelist Steve Jobs - aside, co said it was no joke, with JC saying it led to a 19% increase in rebuys as it "takes the guesswork out of distribution." Aileen added that the patent-pending technology tells "a story for every store" and runs 500 random force models in every run so distrib decisions are "not based on gut feel anymore." Using inputs like traffic, consumer behavior and neighborhood/historical trends, Aileen said LSD tests produced 15% more vol with 10% fewer PODs and pledged to create bespoke versions for distribs: "You tell us what you need and we'll build it for you.""Let Your Beer Do the Talking" (and Let Your Dog Do the Surfing) As we reported last wk, co is putting $16 mil into branding efforts this yr. Its "Let Your Beer Do the Talking" campaign is already rolling out with billboards, including one of a grandmother-aged woman drinking co's flagship IPA while flipping off the camera. The brand's message is intended as "a f*** you to regular beer," per an accompanying video, and the "new visual identity" with staggered lettering will roll out across all platforms. Co is also continuing its music series at the Petaluma HQ and the World Dog Surfing Championships this summer in nearby Pacifica, where there's a Taco Bell Cantina with flagship IPA on draft. But the biggest advertising coup in 2025 came for free, when Justin Bieber was photographed holding a Lagunitas bottle, which sent CMO Hannah Dray into action, pushing the image on co's socials.New Pushes Behind NA In addition to the rebranding of its Hoppy Refresher line, co is introducing Spritz Refresher, a "craft sparkling water mocktail," in CA, TX, AZ and MN, tailing where Hoppy Refresher has sold well. It will be released in the spring at retailers including HEB, Sprouts, Safeway NorCal and more. Additionally, co ran pilot program with Tito's alongside Hoppy Refresher at approximately 200 stores in NoCal, stressing idea "that Hoppy belongs in the same consideration set as traditional spirits," co said in a release. Notable that both Hoppy and Tito's are distributed by Reyes in the area, making the trial partnership a potential synergistic one."Full of F***ing Mojo" Referencing co's partnership with heavy metal band Iron Maiden for its Summer Seasonal West Coast IPA, its expansion into mocktails, its LSD system and a whole lot more, co is energized after a coupla years of reshuffling. "We're doing stuff you'd never expect of Lagunitas," said sales veep Peter Green in wrapping up the presentation, adding that co was appealing to the "head and heart" of consumers. The innovations are "the head stuff, but that doesn't matter without the heart. Two years ago, Hannah and I talked about getting our mojo back. Nobody mentions it anymore, because this brand is full of f***ing mojo."

Lagunitas "Puts the AI in Our IPA" With New Distribution Tech; Launches "Let Your Beer Do the Talking Campaign"; Brand Is "Full of F***ing Mojo"

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