Shelton Brothers Ceases Beer Import Business

Died from Covid

quote:

---

After 24 years, Shelton Brothers, America’s most influential importer of Belgian and European beers, will soon cease operations. The Belchertown, Massachusetts-based importer of renowned brands that include Cantillon, Drie Fonteinen, Fantôme, De La Senne, and others says it has been forced into liquidation by its bank.

---

quote:

---

Shelton cites the economic upheaval caused by COVID-19 as the primary cause of the company’s insolvency. Bars and restaurants were responsible for 50% of Shelton Brothers’ sales, he says, and when most were forced to close in March as a result of the pandemic, revenues dried up. Then, in May, court records show Shelton Brothers was ordered to pay $2.1 million to Chicago-area beer distributor River North to resolve a lawsuit over distribution rights dating back to 2011; Shelton says he continued to dispute this judgment until August 2020.

The two factors—the legal judgment and the loss of on-premise sales—were too much for the company to survive.

---

More info here

The bottom of the article argues that America is becoming more self-sufficient by producing our own version of European styles and lessening the demand to import, which I partially agree with.

quote:

---

“Fundamentally, part of Shelton’s problem is that some of the older brands might be offering a product that’s also brewed domestically,” says Paul Jones, co-founder of Cloudwater Brew Co. in Manchester, England, which exports its beer to the U.S. through Shelton Brothers. “You can get beautiful Saison made in America and it doesn’t come with all the prestige or mystique of Belgian-produced Saison, but it’s just as interesting to the modern consumer, maybe more interesting.”

---

Surely someone will pick up major brands like Cantilion, Drie, Fantome, etc.