Lightning Round: Lagunitas grows, Beck's hit with lawsuit
One of the top craft brewing companies in the United States is getting even bigger. Lagunitas Brewing Company has announced that construction of its third production facility is currently underway in the southern California city of Azusa. Providing Lagunitas with a strong link for distribution to the Southwest and the Gulf Coast (and maybe even Mexico), the beer company has plans to open the facility with an initial capacity of 420,000 barrels per year. But with 178,000 square feet of space there is room to ramp up production to as much as a million barrels per year in the future. That’s all big news for Lagunitas, Los Angeles, and the craft beer industry. ~ LA Weekly
RELATED CONTENT: Meet the Top 10 best-selling craft breweries of 2014
Meanwhile, Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned brand Beck’s is facing lawsuit problems similar to those that (also AB InBev-owned) Kirin faced earlier this year. The issue at hand: while Germany-based Beck’s has been enjoying the price point and social cache of an imported beer, Beck’s for the U.S. market has been brewed in St. Louis, leading to a class action lawsuit from consumers who have felt deceived and cheated. ~ Yahoo Finance
RELATED CONTENT: Anheuser Busch settles lawsuit over Kirin Brewing origins
On the franchising front, McDonald’s is still tinkering with new menu ideas. We’re pretty excited about the latest menu tweak that the chain is experimenting with in certain test markets: smaller “mini-meal” combinations featuring burgers and chicken sandwiches paired with a small order of fries and a small drink. ~ Fox 6