New NY Law Makes it Easier for Craft Brewers to Do Business—FINALLY Some Smart Politics
New York State just signed a new law that will give New York’s craft breweries the ability to end exclusive contracts with beer wholesalers. This will make it easier for small craft brewers to do business because they can easily end costly exclusive contracts with large wholesalers that do not market or promote their brands.
The bill was sponsored by Senator Joseph A. Griffo (R-C-I, Rome) who said, “I sponsored this legislation on behalf of the craft brewers in the Central New York region, all of whom are important parts of our regional economy. During difficult economic times, the state needs to stand by our small businesses in order to grow our economy, especially in the Upstate region. The growth of small brewers has been an exciting chapter in the 21st century economy, and this new law is important to help it grow and add jobs.”
The law defines small brewers as those who produce less than 300,000 barrels of beer annually, and whose sales to a wholesaler are (3%) or less of a multi-brand beer wholesaler’s annual business.
So, in other words, if you got that beer-making kit for Christmas like I did from CVS in East Hampton or Southampton, it is now even easier to start selling the terrible beer that you made in your kitchen!