ST. LOUIS -- Eight years after Anheuser-Busch bought Rolling Rock and three years after buying Goose Island, among other high-profile craft-beer acquisitions, the beer-brewing giant quietly reorganized this fall to put more emphasis on tapping the potential of high-end craft and import beers.
In October, the St. Louis company established a new business unit "devoted to our high-end business and its acceleration."
In an August letter to employees, CEO Luiz Edmond said, "High-end craft and import beers continue to generate an explosion of interest, and we have tremendous opportunity to grow in this segment."
The new business unit now operates out of Chicago, "which places us in closer touch with urban consumers, their way of thinking, lifestyle and the accounts they visit," Edmond said.
It is led by Felipe Szpigel in the new position of vice president, high-end business unit.
"Our high-end marketing team, under Adam Oakley, vice president of import, craft and specialty brands, will transition to Chicago over time, and Adam will report to Felipe," the letter stated. "Goose Island and Blue Point will be part of the business unit under Andy Goeler, who also will report to Felipe. We will add dedicated sales resources within this unit to help build high-end brands in the trade."
Edmond added that other staff in the unit will include representation from "supply, finance and people to create a strong team with the singular interests of the high-end in mind."
Felipe joined Anheuser-Busch 15 years ago as global management trainee and in his career has held virtually every key position in Anheuser-Busch InBev’s sales organization. In his most recent position in a global role in New York, Felipe was vice president, trade marketing, where he has led key projects including the innovation and investment step up in coolers and draught technology, as well as the renewal of the focus in the on-premise with the Urban Centers Project.
The reorganization comes even as headlines such as "Bud Crowded Out by Craft-Beer Craze" and "Budweiser Loses Out to Craft Beer in U.S." hit newspapers.
A-B, however, sees this as an opportunity.
"There’s never been a more exciting time to work in the beer business," Edmond said, "and it is up to us to take the strength of our people and our brands to bring new ideas, focus and expanded capabilities to this opportunity."
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