Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Daren Metropoulos Talks About The GABF

If you love beer, you’ll love the Great American Beer Festival.  This annual event, presented by the Brewer’s Association, has been going strong since 1982. The popularity of this festival is not hard to understand. After all, the beer tasting sessions that offers attendees the chance to sample more than 22,000 beers from 450 breweries—1 ounce from each—is reason enough to attend. But another reason for the popularity of the Great American Beer Festival is the competitive events among the brewers.

Daren Metropoulos, co-owner of the Pabst Brewing Company, couldn’t be prouder of his company’s standing in this competition. In fact, the Pabst Brewing Company recently won the 2011 Large Brewing Company of the Year Award along with several other awards. The Pabst Brewing Company has long been a favorite at the Great American Beer Festival. In fact, PBC has won more awards at this festival than has any other brewery.

This doesn’t surprise Daren Metropoulos, for PBC is been in business since 1844 and is a piece of American history.  The 167-year-old company is the largest privately owned brewing company in the United States.  It brews more than 30 different brands of beer including Pabst Blue Ribbon, Lone Star, Colt 45, Schlitz, and Old Milwaukee. 

In 2010, C. Dean Metropoulos, a private equity investor, purchased Pabst Brewing Company with his sons, Daren and Evan. Metropoulos & Company has invested in nearly 70 businesses, the majority of which has been consumer companies like Bumble Bee Tuna, Chef Boyardee, and Perrier-Jouet Champagne.

In the past, Daren Metropoulos and his brother had worked closely with their father in reviving such consumer brands as Ghirardelli Chocolate Co, Stella Foods, and others.

Not that Pabst Brewing Company needs much reviving. Its signature brew, Pabst Blue Ribbon, has experienced strong growth for many years. However, sales of some of the brands, such as Colt 45, had been steadily declining. This is one of the brands that Daren Metropoulos revived and updated, making it hip again for a new generation. This new brand of beer is called Blast by Colt 45, and it combines five different fruit flavors. Daren Metropoulos and his brother Evan even got rap legend Snoop Dogg to come aboard as a partner.

Blast is only the first of the planned updates on some of Pabst Brewing Company’s time worn brands. However, Daren is an experienced businessman who is sensitive to the loyal customers of Pabst Brewing Company. After all, he is now the owner of an iconic brand of beer that has been part of American culture since 1844.

More than anything else, Daren Metropoulos is honored to be at the helm of such a great American company and leading the way for its rebirth as one of the premiere American beer companies in the world. Indeed, he is eager to grow with a company that has never stopped growing—the Pabst Brewing Company.

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