TORONTO, ON – 14 months after announcing that it would be opening ownership to any Ontario brewery and diversifying its Board of Directors, Ontario’s Beer Store retail chain has released details of the implemented changes.
Previously consisting of representatives exclusively from majority owners Molson Coors and Labatt/AB-InBev, the new Board retains four members from each of those companies, along with two members elected by other owner-breweries with production of more than 50,000 hL per year, one elected by those with production below that production threshold, and four independent members.
These seven new members include the following:
- Greg Newbrough (Sleeman Breweries)
- George Croft (Brick Brewing)
- Frank Heaps (Steam Whistle Brewing)
- Tim Penner (marketing executive, former President of Proctor and Gamble Canada)
- Kristine Freudenthaler (logistics and supply chain expert, former Senior Vice President of Technology at Canadian Tire)
- Robert Aziz (lawyer, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Oxford Properties)
- Tom Muir (finance expert, former Chief Financial Officer of Maple Leaf Foods)
Along with the details of the new Board, the Beer Store has announced the 22 breweries that have purchased shares in the company, joining Sleeman/Sapporo as minority owners:
- Amsterdam Brewing
- Barnstormer Brewing
- Beau’s All Natural Brewing
- Brick Brewing
- Durham Brewing
- Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
- Forked River Brewing
- Grand River Brewing
- Highlander Brew Co.
- Hockley Valley Brewing
- Lake of Bays Brewing
- Magnotta Brewery
- Moosehead Breweries
- Nita Beer
- Pioneer Brewery (aka Black Creek Historic Brewery)
- Railway City Brewing
- Sawdust City Brewing
- Side Launch Brewing
- Steam Whistle Brewing
- Trafalgar Ales and Meads
- Wellington County Brewery
- Whitewater Brewing
Minority ownership shares remain available to any brewery that operates a production brewing facility in Ontario, with the membership cost set at $100 for breweries with Beer Store sales of under 50,000 hL per year, and $1000 for those above.
For more details, see the “Ownership & Governance” section of the Beer Store website.