New Belgium Brewing co-founder and CEO Kim Jordan has agreed to “return to the scene of the crime.”
She will deliver the keynote address at the Brewers Association’s 2013 Craft Brewers Conference. The industry’s largest gathering — bringing together some 6,000 brewing professionals — will be held in Washington, D.C. from March 26-29.
Jordan also gave the keynote in 2003, when she called for craft brewers to aspire to reach 10% of U.S. beer sales. In the previous year, craft sales had grown only 1%. In the years that followed the gains were 5%, 8%, 13%, 12%, 6%, 7%, 12% and 13%. In 2011, the latest full year for which the BA has published data, craft brewing sales share was at 9.1% by dollars and 5.7% by volume, increasing more than half a point per year since 2003.
“The beer industry has changed significantly over the course of the last several years. Relationships among small brewers, large brewers, distributors, retailers and beer drinkers continue to evolve,” said BA director Paul Gatza. “Kim is a visionary and true leader in the beer community. Her insight, enthusiasm and vigor will be a welcomed inspiration as small and independent brewers gather together for a discussion on how to navigate the ever-evolving and thriving industry. We are pleased to have her back to the CBC stage.”