New Belgium Expands Partnership with MicroStar Logistics, Adding Bell’s Brewery to Industry-Leading Outsourced Keg Platform Under a Long-Term Partnership Agreement

DENVER, May 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Having converted to MicroStar’s shared-keg model in 2018, New Belgium will now add Bell’s Brewing to the platform in order to benefit from a more cost-efficient, sustainable and flexible keg supply chain solution. All of Bell’s highly-acclaimed brands will soon be available in MicroStar-branded kegs with beers including Bell’s Two Hearted IPA (frequently voted the best beer in America) and Oberon Ale joining New Belgium Brands such as the rapidly growing Voodoo Ranger portfolio, and Fat Tire – America’s first certified carbon neutral beer. Combined, Kirin-owned New Belgium and Bell’s are recognized as the #1 craft brand family by volume in the United States.

“We are committed to adopting human-powered business practices in everything we do, and this extends to how we choose our supplier partners,” said Joe Davis, New Belgium’s Chief Operating Officer. “MicroStar’s teams share our values and operate like an extension of our breweries which is incredibly important as we continue to grow. Additionally, MicroStar’s dense global network of shareable kegs shortens the distance empty kegs travel, lowering our greenhouse gas emissions supporting our sustainability mission.”

“Having worked closely with New Belgium for years, and now coming to know the Bell’s teams, it’s clear how deeply committed they are to their people, the quality of their beer, and to minimizing their impact on the environment,” said Casey Dodson, MicroStar’s Senior Vice President, Global Commercial. “Expanding this partnership was natural as we share these values and our teams are energized to play a larger role supporting their continued success.”

Bell’s will now benefit from MicroStar’s dense network of kegs and achieve dramatic cost and sustainability benefits compared to the traditional owned-keg model. By sharing a pool of kegs rather than owning their own, over 1,200 leading brewers reduce their collective carbon footprint by over 10 million kg of CO2e annually based on an ISO-14040 framework LCA conducted by Deloitte. 

About New Belgium Brewing

New Belgium Brewing was co-founded in 1991 in Fort Collins, Colo., by Kim Jordan, a social worker, who built her company the only way a social worker would: People first. Over the past three decades, New Belgium has turned that ethos into a unique Human-Powered Business model through practices that were and still are rare in the business world: fully paid healthcare premiums for coworkers who need the support, living wage compensation, open-book management, renewable energy sourcing, a free onsite medical clinic and physician, a deep commitment to philanthropy and advocacy, and much more.

About MicroStar

Founded in 1996, MicroStar Logistics is the world’s leading provider of circular, outsourced supply chain solutions for the beer industry. MicroStar’s highly efficient and sustainable shared keg programs now include over 6 million stainless steel kegs (MicroStar-branded kegs in the US and Kegstar-branded kegs internationally). Its Network Services Division manages reusable assets including returnable plastic pallets. Its Quality Services division extends the life of reusable assets making the most efficient use of finite resources. Visit MicroStarLogistics.com or Kegstar.com to learn more.

Media: Dan Vorlage, Vice President of Global Marketing, 800-245-2200, info@microstarkegs.com