Case 8 A Brew above the Rest: New Belgium Brewing
Introduction
Although large companies are frequently cited as examples of ethical and socially responsible firms, it is often businesses that start small that stand to have the greatest impact. Craft beer pioneer New Belgium Brewing Company began as a microbrewery in Fort Collins, Colorado. They have created jobs and contributed money, resources, and volunteer time to local causes for 30 years, serving as community leaders. Though New Belgium Brewing Company is no longer considered a craft brewery after its acquisition by Lion Little World Beverages in 2019, the company continues to be a role model in both the world of brewing and the local communities in which they operate.
History of New Belgium Brewing Company
The idea for the New Belgium Brewing Company began with a bicycling trip through Belgium. Belgium is argu- ably the home of some of the world’s finest ales, some of which have been brewed for centuries in monasteries. As Jeff Lebesch, an American electrical engineer, cruised around Belgium on his mountain bike, he wondered whether he could produce such high-quality beers back home in Colorado. After acquiring a special strain of yeast used to brew Belgian-style ales, Lebesch returned home and began to experiment in his Colorado base- ment. When his beers earned thumbs-up from friends, Lebesch decided to market them.
The New Belgium Brewing Company (NBB) opened for business in 1991 as a tiny basement opera- tion in Lebesch’s home in Fort Collins. Lebesch’s wife at the time, Kim Jordan, became the firm’s marketing director. They named their first brew Fat Tire Amber Ale in honor of Lebesch’s bike ride through Belgium. Initially, getting New Belgium beer onto store shelves was not easy. Jordan often delivered the beer to stores in the back of her Toyota station wagon. However, New Belgium beers quickly developed a small but devoted customer base, first in Fort Collins and then throughout Colorado. The brewery soon outgrew the couple’s basement and moved into an old railroad
depot before settling into their present custom-built facility in 1995. The brewery includes two brew houses, four quality assurance labs, a wastewater treatment facility, a canning and bottling line, and numerous technological innovations for which New Belgium has become nationally recognized as a “paradigm of environmental efficiencies.”
NBB currently offers a variety of permanent and seasonal ales and pilsners. The company has their Year Round series, including Citradelic, Dayblazer, and Pilsener; their Voodoo Ranger series of IPAs; their Vintage Sour series La Folie, Transatlantique Kriek, and Le Terroir; their Belgian Collection of Abbey, Trippel, and 1554 ales; and their Fat Tire Collection, still the firm’s bestseller. Some customers even refer to the com- pany as the Fat Tire Brewery. The firm also has a line of “Glütiny,” or reduced gluten, beers. In 2018, the brewery introduced its Up Next series, unique beer flavors that rotate quarterly throughout the year.
Additionally, New Belgium works in collaboration with other companies to come up with new products. Through this, they hope to create improved efficiency and experimentation as they take collaborative strides toward the future of American craft beer making. One such collaboration resulted in the Grilled Pineapple Golden Ale, brewed in partnership with Red Robin to complement the restaurant’s Banzai Burger. The new ale was unveiled at the Great American Beer Festival. NBB also partnered with Ben & Jerry’s to develop new flavors of beer such as Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale. Fifty thousand dollars of the proceeds from the beer were used to raise awareness about climate change.

Summarize case study 8 in 5-6 paragraphs. Go through the case in its entirety before summarizing and responding.

Do all three questions:

What environmental issues does the New Belgium Brewing Company work to address? How has NBB taken a strategic approach to addressing these issues? Why do you think the company has taken such a strong stance toward sustainability?

Do you agree that New Belgium’s focus on social responsibility provides a key competitive advantage for the company? Why or why not?

Some segments of society contend that companies that sell alcoholic beverages and tobacco products cannot be socially responsible organizations because of the nature of their primary products. Do you believe that New Belgium’s actions and initiatives are indicative of a socially responsible corporation? Why or why not?