premium craft beers. Adding Duvel’s hero Belgian Blonde, along
with Abbey, Old Bruin and other unique styles, will broaden the
Six Pints competitive offering to customers and consumers alike.
Curious Canadians are increasingly interested in exploring craft
beers, as the segment continues to see year over year growth.
“Six Pints, and by extension Molson Coors, are equally
excited and prepared to lead the Duvel brands through their
commercial journey in Canada,” said Frederic Landtmeters,
president of Molson Coors Beverage Company – Canada. “This
division is known for respecting and nurturing what beer lovers
love about craft beer – its roots. Six Pints will maintain Duvel’s
homegrown positioning, but will use its market expertise to
bring it to life to more Canadians.”
Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a fairly positive year for Six
Pints, highlighted by Creemore Springs maintaining its spot as
the No. 1 craft beer sold in six-packs at Ontario’s LCBO chain
of retailers, the division unlocking direct-to-consumer delivery/
curside pick-up capabilities, which drove over $1.5 million in
sales to-date; Le Trou du Diable returning decorated from the
2020 World Beer Awards as World’s Best Pale Beer and World’s
Best Sour/Wild Ale; Brasseur de Montreal achieving consistently
strong performance – specifically with its Amer IPA variant – and
more. It’s a momentum-filled time to join Six Pints.
However, the partnership was born from more than just
good business sense. Both companies feel a connection in their
shared values, largely influenced by the respective legacies left by
generations of family brewers. Six Pints, as a division of Molson
Coors, carries values dating back to 1786, when John Molson
began his brewing and entrepreneurship journey in Canada. John
Wiggins of Creemore Springs Brewery, Mitch Taylor of Granville
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Island Brewing, Isaac Tremblay of Le Trou du Diable and Marc-
Andre Gauvreau and Denise Merineau of Brasseur de Montreal,
each left their marks anchored in quality, community and
entrepreneurial spirit. Duvel’s Jean-Leonard Moortgat started
Duvel Moortgat in 1871, and today it remains an independent
family of authentic craft breweries and a successful story of self-made
leaders in specialty beers.
“As fourth-generation brewers, Duvel Moortgat is delighted
to announce our recent partnership with Six Pints to bring our
iconic Belgian beers to Canada,” said Michel Moortgat, chief
executive officer for Duvel Moortgat NV. “Like Duvel Moortgat,
Six Pints shares our strong commitment to quality and the art
of authentic craftsmanship. Therefore, this partnership is an
excellent opportunity for Duvel Moortgat to deliver our legacy of
great-tasting beers to Canada with a partner who shares our core
values and long-term ambitions.”
By early November 2020, Six Pints was expected to have
secured incremental distribution for Duvel’s brands within new
regions and where they are currently available. The initial focus
will be at the retail channel, with plans for availability in
restaurants and bars in the future.
Ziraldo wins gold
The Sommelier Choice Awards provides on-premise buyers and
sommeliers a valuable benchmark for understanding which
wines would make a compelling addition to a wine list. The
wines are judged in five categories – food pairability, typicity,
quality, value and packaging – by sommeliers, wine directors and
on-premise wine experts. The second edition of the Sommeliers
Choice Awards announced the winners of the 2020 competition,
including Ziraldo Estate Winery’s Ziraldo 2014 Riesling Icewine
receiving a gold medal with a score of 90 points.
“Sommeliers have always been great ambassadors for my
Icewine, so it is with great pride and pleasure that I accept
this recognition from this group of Sommelier professionals,”
said Donald Ziraldo.
This is the first icewine produced from the Ziraldo Vineyard,
which was planted in 2007 on the original Inniskillin Winery
site in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This Riesling-exclusive vineyard is
planted on a gently rolling hillside of sandy loam terroir with five
Riesling clones on four different rootstocks.
Ziraldo Icewine is made to the highest standards of quality,
grown using sustainable practices and exemplifies the true
character and terroir of the Niagara region.
I N D U ST RY N E WS
By early November 2020,
Six Pints was expected to
have secured incremental
distribution for Duvel’s brands
within new regions and where
they are currently available.
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