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Boston Globe
01-08-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Boston Beer Co. founder Jim Koch returns to CEO role
Koch had been chief executive since launching the company in 1984 until January 2001, and has remained its chairman and a regular presence in investor presentations, as well as public pitchman for the company. Koch, 76, has effectively maintained control of the company, even though it's publicly traded, through a special category of voting shares he holds. Advertisement Spillane, a former Nike executive, was tapped to be CEO roughly a year and a half ago, taking over for Dave Burwick, who now leads Spindrift, the seltzer and soda company. Spillane took charge of Boston Beer at a time of tumult in the craft beer industry, as smaller brewers race to consolidate amid flagging consumer demand. Shares in Boston Beer have fallen nearly 40 percent over the time Spillane has been CEO. However, in the first six months of this year, the company saw financial success: Net revenue after excise taxes rose 3.6 percent, to more than $1 billion, due to increased sales volume and pricing, and net income rose more than 30 percent from the same time in 2024. Advertisement Boston Beer long ago broadened its portfolio beyond its flagship Samuel Adams beers. The product lineup now includes Dogfish Head beer, spiked iced tea (Twisted Tea, Sun Cruiser), ciders (Angry Orchard), spiked soda (HARD MTN DEW), and hard seltzer (Truly). The company employs around 2,500 people, including around 500 in Massachusetts.
Winnipeg Free Press
23-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Judge sentences business owner to 13 years in prison for sex crimes involving vulnerable children
A small-business owner convicted of sexually exploiting two vulnerable 13-year-old girls — one of whom later died of a drug overdose — has been sentenced to 13 years in prison. Seated next to his lawyer, 44-year-old Michael Edward Bruce exhaled loudly and dropped his head into his hands as King's Bench Justice Sadie Bond sentenced him Wednesday morning. Bruce was found guilty after trial last year of 11 sex-related offences, including luring, involving the two girls as well as a then-19-year-old woman. Prosecutors had urged Bond to sentence Bruce to 20 years in prison, saying he exploited young girls he knew were vulnerable to satisfy his 'selfish desires.' 'A heavier sentence, such as proposed by the Crown, may at first blush appear to better reflect society's abhorrence of the abuse of children reflected in all but one of Mr. Bruce's offences,' Bond said. 'However, it must be remembered that the prison sentence to be imposed is to be served by a man who has no criminal record and some prospects of rehabilitation.' Court heard evidence at trial that Bruce, who owns and operates an HVAC business, had contacted a woman who lived in the Charles Walk area in the North End in April 2022 to arrange to have sex with her in exchange for work he had completed. The woman instead provided him with contact details for a 13-year-old girl. Bruce contacted the girl over Facebook and arranged to have sex with her in his pickup truck in exchange for $20 and a case of Twisted Tea alcoholic drinks. The girl's grandmother learned about the sexual assault and contacted police. The girl provided two video statements but later died as the result of a drug overdose. Court heard testimony Bruce had sex with the second 13-year-old girl, who was in foster care, as payment for giving her a ride home. The adult victim testified Bruce sexually assaulted her in his truck when she was intoxicated and slipping in and out of consciousness. Bruce admitted at trial that when one of the girls threatened to report him to police, he told her: 'Who are they going to believe — a gang member or a homeowner?' Bruce was arrested in June 2022, but not charged until the following September after Winnipeg police completed a lengthy analysis of his electronic devices. Defence lawyer Mike Cook urged the judge to sentence Bruce to just six years in prison, describing him as a loving father of two and community-oriented businessman who has bought and renovated several rental properties to open up housing for the needy. Cook said Bruce had an upbringing marked by poverty, housing instability and exposure to domestic violence. Bruce was raised by a single mother and had no male role model. Cook argued Bruce's sexual maturation was stunted by early and prolonged exposure to pornography and an uncle who glorified empty sexual conquests. 'Michael Bruce was not taught about love, caring, how to be a good spouse or boyfriend,' Cook said. 'He lacked some of the foundational blocks that would take him into adulthood.… It's no surprise that he found himself in trouble as years went by.' Bond dismissed a defence argument Bruce never set out to sexually exploit the child victims and was merely mistaken about their true ages. 'The argument amounted to a claim that Mr. Bruce's offences in relation to (the child victims) involved mere technical non-compliance with the law,' Bond said Wednesday. 'It was Mr. Bruce's responsibility to avoid having sex with children,' she said. 'He treated his victims as objects, dehumanizing them. He exploited their vulnerability.' Bond ordered that Bruce's name be placed on the national sex offender registry for life. She also ordered that Bruce have no contact with children other than his own and not seek employment or volunteer positions where children are present. At a sentencing hearing last month, Bruce claimed an interest in becoming an advocate for abused children upon his release from custody. 'My concern is that such engagement… could bring Mr. Bruce into contact with vulnerable children and put them at risk of manipulation and exploitation by him,' Bond said. Dean PritchardCourts reporter Dean Pritchard is courts reporter for the Free Press. He has covered the justice system since 1999, working for the Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 2019. Read more about Dean. Every piece of reporting Dean produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
18-07-2025
- Business
Canned cocktail hitting you hard? As ready-to-drink cans grow in popularity, some are getting stronger
If you've ever put back a can of Cutwater, and only then realized how much booze is in it, TikTok would like to remind you that you're not alone. Consumers have been sharing their stories — and surprise — about how strong the canned cocktails are on social media. One can, I'm drunk, one Canadian user posted on TikTok (new window) . "Suddenly we have this one option at the liquor stores that just gets you wasted." Another user said (new window) the effects of one can felt like taking multiple shots. While they come in a standard, 355-millilitre can, some flavours of the drinks pack a far bigger punch than a standard beer, with an alcohol percentage of 12.5 per cent listed on the packaging. But Cutwater is far from the only brand making high alcohol-by-volume (or ABV) products — Dillon's (new window) and Founder's (new window) are among the brands also selling canned cocktails at 12.5 per cent, while Mike's Hard (new window) , White Claw (new window) , Twisted Tea (new window) and more all make higher alcohol versions of their original products. Enlarge image (new window) Ready-to-drink cans of premade cocktails of varying alcohol percentages sit on a shelf. Cans like these have grown in popularity in recent years, and so have the options — including higher alcohol percentage. Photo: CBC / Anis Heydari Ready-to-drink beverages (or RTDs) — pre-made cocktails, hard seltzers or anything else that comes ready to consume that isn't wine or beer — have seen a boom in recent years. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) says (new window) that ready-to-drink beverages are one of the fastest growing categories in recent years, with sales increasing by 9.5 per cent to $745.1 million total in 2024 alone. And Canada-wide, the ciders, coolers and ready-to-drink category together amassed about $2.29 billion in sales in 2023-24, according to Statistics Canada (new window) — more than double what it was in 2018-2019. Alongside that popularity, the market for higher alcohol percentage has also grown, according to industry experts. But with all the new varieties of RTDs available, consumers might not be accustomed to — or even aware — of the amount of booze they're getting. Demand for higher ABV Andrew Ferguson, owner of Kensington Wine Market in Calgary, says the demand for stronger drinks has led to the rise of boozier pre-made cocktails. People want things that are maybe twice as strong as your average RTD, and so that's why they're bottling them at 10 per cent or 11 per cent, Ferguson said. Now, whether [all] people are noticing that or not is a whole other matter. Enlarge image (new window) A variety of ready-to-drink cans sit lined up at Kensington Wine Market in Calgary. Despite having varying alcohol percentages, cans like these might be displayed side by side in stores, and consumers might not realize how much alcohol they're consuming. Photo: CBC / Rebecca Kelly Ferguson says he expects folks are used to most cans having five per cent alcohol. The average consumer is probably just assuming [all cans are] gonna be about the same, and so there won't be that much difference, Ferguson said. And even if they do see the number on the front, they might not fully know what that per cent means for them, says Marten Lodewijks, president for the North American wing of alcohol industry research group IWSR. Everyone knows seven is bigger than five, and 10 is bigger than seven. So mathematically that lands, Lodewijks said. But how strong is seven per cent? How strong is 10 per cent? How strong is five per cent? That's not something that is typically well understood by consumers. Marketing of cans is shifting — so read them carefully When it comes to higher alcohol percentage drinks, Lodewijks says there's a bang-for-your-buck factor — cans at a standard five per cent are often priced the same as those that are seven, 10 or even 13 per cent. So if I am feeling a bit financially constrained, then you're going to opt for that better value-for-money proposition. And we're definitely seeing a lot of skew in that direction, Lodewijks said. While high alcohol drinks have always existed, the marketing of them has shifted as the product category has grown, according to Lodewijks. Traditionally the high ABV products, they kind of often would make you look like an alcoholic. There'd be very large cans that had fairly aggressive names, and it was quite clear what the purpose of them was, Lodewijks said. But within the past few years, he says that's changed — while there's some outliers, high ABV products might look like any other can on the shelf, Lodewijks says. WATCH | Navigating Canada's new alcohol guidance: Markus Giesler, a marketing professor at York University's Schulich School of Business, agrees. The marketing and packaging of many high ABV drinks use words like water, he says, or imagery we'd associate with soft drinks — drinks that we might associate with quenching our thirst but not necessarily getting drunk. Beyond that, many brands now have a higher percentage version of their original drink — like White Claw, which makes a seven per cent version of their hard seltzers, while the original drink was only five per cent. Giesler says that difference might be hard to miss, especially if shoppers are in a rush, or picking up a few cans quickly on their way to a party. Because brands are changing their marketing so much in an effort to make their ready-to-drink product stand out, marketing professor Marvin Ryder says consumers can't rely on the idea that a single can is a way to measure how much you're drinking. The best antidote to an embarrassing night, he says, is to read the ABV labels on cans before you crack them. Don't get sucked in by pretty colours or pretty brand names, Ryder said. Read, be an educated consumer — understand what you're getting in each of these different products, and then have fun. Abby Hughes (new window) · CBC News · Journalist Abby Hughes does a little bit of everything at CBC News in Toronto. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. You can reach her at With files from Anis Heydari
Winnipeg Free Press
19-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Crown seeks 20 years for convicted sex offender
Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year prison sentence for a small business owner convicted of sexually exploiting two vulnerable 13-year-old girls, one of whom later died of a drug overdose. Michael Bruce, 44, was found guilty after trial last year of 11 sex-related offences, including luring, in connection to the two girls as well as a then-19-year-old woman. 'I learned first-hand the damage predators inflict on their prey,' the deceased girl's grandmother wrote in a victim impact statement that was read out in court Wednesday. 'We as a society, as adults, should be protecting our children against this degrading psychological terror,' the woman said. 'It's been a long time coming, but the day is finally here for all those children — justice.' Court heard evidence at trial that Bruce, who owns and operates an HVAC business, had contacted a woman who lived in the Charles Walk area, in the North End, in April 2022 to arrange to have sex with her in exchange for work he had completed. The woman instead provided him with contact details for a 13-year-old girl. Bruce contacted the girl over Facebook and arranged to have sex with her in his pickup truck in exchange for $20 and a case of Twisted Tea alcoholic drinks. The girl's grandmother learned about the sexual assault and contacted police. The girl provided two video statements but later died as the result of a drug overdose. Court heard testimony Bruce had sex with the second 13-year-old girl, who was in foster care, as payment for giving her a ride home. The adult victim testified Bruce sexually assaulted her in his truck when she was intoxicated and slipping in and out of consciousness. Bruce testified he believed the first girl was 17 years old and claimed the sex was consensual, as was the sex with the adult victim. He denied having sex with the second 13-year-old girl. Bruce admitted at trial when one of the girls threatened to report him to police, he told her: 'Who are they going to believe — a gang member or a homeowner?' Bruce was arrested in June 2022, but not charged until the following September after Winnipeg police completed a lengthy analysis of his electronic devices. 'It is impossible to quantify… the level of harm these offences will have on these (victims), their families, and the community at large,' Crown attorney Kellie Stashko told Court of King's Bench Justice Sadie Bond on Wednesday. Bruce 'recognized their vulnerability and intentionally exploited them for his own selfish desires,' Stashko said. A forensic psychiatric report and presentence report prepared for court said Bruce – who admits to a long history of 'transactional' sex with women both in and out of the sex trade — continues to minimize his actions and their effect on the victims. 'There is really nothing to suggest this offender understands his risk factors in any way,' Stashko said. Stashko said a 20-year prison sentence was 'just and appropriate' and the minimum period necessary to satisfy the sentencing principals of denunciation and deterrence. 'These were not crimes of opportunity… every step he took was a deliberate choice, not an error in judgment,' Stashko said. Defence lawyer Mike Cook urged the judge to sentence Bruce to just six years in prison, describing him as a loving father of two and community-oriented businessman who has bought and renovated several rental properties to open up housing for the needy. Cook said Bruce had an upbringing marked by poverty, housing instability and exposure to domestic violence. Bruce was raised by a single mother and had no male role model. Cook argued Bruce's sexual maturation was stunted by early and prolonged exposure to pornography and an uncle who glorified empty sexual conquests. 'Micheal Bruce was not taught about love, caring, how to be a good spouse or boyfriend,' Cook said. 'He lacked some of the foundational blocks that would take him into adulthood… It's no surprise that he found himself in trouble as years went by.' Since his arrest, Bruce has joined sex addicts anonymous, a decision 'truly indicative of an internal motivation to change,' Cook said. Bruce offered a tearful apology to his victims, saying he never set out to exploit children. 'My criminality stems from my involvement in the sex trade,' he said. 'I did not seek out teenagers for sexual gratification, but I didn't say no and avail myself of the opportunity to walk away and figure out the truth of their age and I should have.' Bruce said he will regret what he did 'for as long as God allows me to be on this Earth' and is learning how to be a better person. 'I will spend the rest of my days trying to right the wrongs of my past and whenever society permits it, I will try to find ways to help vulnerable women and girls from being exploited sexually,' he said. Bruce will be sentenced June 23. Dean PritchardCourts reporter Dean Pritchard is courts reporter for the Free Press. He has covered the justice system since 1999, working for the Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 2019. Read more about Dean. Every piece of reporting Dean produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
Vandals accused of causing $48K in damage to Kalispell construction site
Jun. 4—A 23-year-old man accused of causing about $48,000 in damages while commandeering heavy machinery at a Kalispell construction site also allegedly bought beer and tobacco for his underage companions. Prosecutors brought Matthew James White up on a felony criminal mischief charge and a misdemeanor count of unlawful transaction with children in Flathead County District Court following a May 21 incident near Kidsport Complex. White, who remains in the county jail with bail set at $50,000, is expected to appear before Judge Paul Sullivan on June 12 for his arraignment. Kalispell Police officers came across White after an employee of an excavation firm reported seeing people using machinery at a construction site about 1:30 a.m., according to court documents. Responding to the area around the intersection of Northland and Four Mile drives, authorities found a running excavator. Aided by a neighbor, who shouted "one went that way" while pointing west, officers found White. They also discovered a 14-year-old hiding under a barbecue cover left in the backyard of a nearby home, court documents said. The teenager told investigators that White and another minor had picked him up earlier in the night. The trio stopped at a gas station where White allegedly bought a 30-pack of Busch Light Apple, an 18 pack of Twisted Tea, two packs of cigarettes and two packs of ZYN nicotine pouches for the group. Together they drove around Kalispell before eventually arriving at the construction site, the teenager told officers. They began drinking and taking turns operating the machinery, he said. Eventually White and the other minor used the excavator to destroy pipes stored at the site, according to court documents. When one member spotted headlights, they fled, the teenager told investigators. The teenager also provided officers with a breath sample, which came in at 0.059, according to court documents. The construction site manager later estimated that the damage to the project came in at about $48,000. If convicted of felony criminal mischief, White faces up to 10 years in Montana State Prison and a fine of $50,000. Misdemeanor unlawful transaction with children is punishable by a $500 fine and a maximum sentence of six months in the county jail. News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@
