January 12, 2012 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under Brand Management, Distributors, Napa Smith
Exciting news today for Paddington Brands and Napa Smith Brewery! Entering the Swedish market!
Napa Smith to Launch in Sweden After Organic IPA Wins Monopoly Listing
TOMP Beer, Wine & Spirits appointed exclusive Swedish distributor for Paddington Brands portfolio.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, January 12, 2012 /PRNEWSWIRE/ – Paddington Brands and TOMP Beer, Wine & Spirits announced today that they will partner to bring Paddington’s brand portfolio to the vibrant Swedish market. TOMP will start by launching the Napa Smith craft beer portfolio and in particular the award winning Organic IPA, which will be featured in 100 Systembolaget stores from 2nd of April 2012.
J. Smoke Wallin, Chairman & CEO of Paddington Brands, said, “We have a very focused growth strategy with very few international targets – Sweden is one of these. So I am delighted to be partnering with Tommy Olsson and his team at TOMP to launch our brands there. TOMP is hugely respected and the perfect partner for us in what is a tough market to crack. I look forwards to a successful launch of Napa Smith’s beers and a long and fruitful relationship. We could not be more thrilled.”
Napa Smith brews a portfolio of award winning beers in Napa, California. Its portfolio is available in 30 states within the US with plans to be available nationally by early 2012. Sweden will be the first international market. Napa Smith is proud to number Whole Foods, Safeway, Beverages & More, Total Wine, Publix and now Sweden’s Systembolaget amongst its many retail partners.
“We first tasted Napa Smith’s beers 2 years ago and we were convinced that they would be a great addition to our portfolio. So winning the tender and setting launch dates is very exciting for us. Organic products are very important to the monopoly and the Napa Smith Organic IPA is utterly amazing,” said Tommy Olsson, Managing Director of TOMP Beer Wine & Spirits.
“Winning the recent IPA tender into Systembolaget is further testament to the genius of our Master Brewer, Don Barkley, coming as it does on the back of our huge success at the Great American Beer Festival. IPA the hottest segment of the US craft beer category, but many IPAs lack complexity and balance. This is proof that it is possible to brew a benchmark IPA that is drinkable and food friendly,” said Steve Morgan, President of Napa Smith Brewery and Winery. He continued, “In addition our beer is also certified organic, which makes this achievement even more noteworthy. I am confident that Sweden’s exciting craft brewing scene will take Napa Smith to heart.”
About Napa Smith Brewery
Napa Smith Brewery is located at the southern gateway to Napa Valley, just south of the town of Napa. Napa Valley is internationally known as a destination for those individuals who seek the best that life has to offer. Napa Smith is proud to contribute to the Napa tradition of hard work, craftsmanship, and artistry with the introduction of its unique family of beers. It creates its beers using proprietary recipes developed by Master Brewer Don Barkley – the most experienced brewer in the craft brewing industry. Come visit us at our newly opened Brewpub in Napa or on the web at www.napasmithbrewery.com.
About Paddington Brands
Paddington Brands (www.Paddingtonbrands.com) manages a portfolio of owned and agency premier import and craft beers, artisanal spirits and fine wines. Paddington owns the Napa Smith Brewery & Winery and 3 Amigos Tequila. It imports a portfolio of beers, wines and spirits including Agoston Wines (Spain), Chase Distillery (UK), Calatrasi (Italy), Gemtree Vineyards (AU), Marisco Wines (NZ). Paddington is headquartered in the Indianapolis, Ind., metro area with offices in the United Kingdom and Napa, Calif., and a sales team covering the U.S. market and select international markets.
About TOMP Beer, Wine & Spirits
TOMP is one of Sweden’s leading beer, wine and spirits importers with a portfolio that includes brands such as [yellow tail], Fish Hoek, Chang Beer and their own successful beer, Guldkallan. TOMP operates a national sales force from it base in Orebro. Seewww.tomp.se.
November 26, 2011 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under Brand Management, Napa Smith, News
I have not posted about Napa Smith lately so here is a bit of catch up.. We acquired the brewery & winery in December 2010 so it has been under our control since January… 10+ months.. we spent the first 3 getting production back up and running and taking care of vendors. Since then, we have been brewing to capacity and selling everything we make. Steve Morgan, Don Barkley and the rest of the growing Napa Smith team have been hitting on all cylinders as we have ramped up. The Paddington team has taken the lead on sales and distribution. The combination has been awesome!
Napa Smith Brewery
- Napa Smith Team
Some highlights over the past year:
- Paddington Brands acquires Napa Smith brewery & winery December 2010
- Napa Smith Beer now available in 33states. This is from a base of just CA back in 2009. See map.
- GABF Winner – Napa Smith Organic IPA won the Silver Medal at the Great American Beer Festival this year… huge! More on this below.
- Napa Smith “Brew Pub” tasting room opened in Napa, CA… an awesome experience and long overdue for our home market!
- Numerous beer dinners and tasting and events throughout the year.
- Major retailer support with placements in Safeway, Whole Foods, Publix, HEB, Harris Teeter, Total Wine & More, BevMo, ABC, Cost Plus World Markets and many more….
Silver Medal Winner - Great American Beer Festival 201
Don’s brewery team had a wonderful time in Denver at the GABF seeing old friends and trying so many terrific beers.
- Don Barkley – Master Brewer – GABF Silver Winner – Napa Smith Organic IPA
Here is a short video of Don Barkley on Napa Smith Organic IPA
Don Barkley on Napa Smith Organic IPA
And here is a link to some of the pictures from the brew pub opening on facebook… Napa Smith Brew Pub Opening
Napa Smith Brew Pub Opening
Napa Smith “Lost Dog” Red Ale blew out at the Brockway Pub in Carmel, Indiana just last weekend…
Smoke and Dave Hunter enjoying a Lost Dog at Brockway
Napa Smith "Lost Dog"
And an example of retail placements… Cost Plus World Market has Napa Smith on promotion in 130 stores right now.
Cost Plus World Markets Now has Napa Smith Beer
Napa Smith Lost Dog & Organic IPA
June 23, 2011 / by J Smoke Wallin / Make A Comment / Filed under Brand Management, Distributors, News, Pelican Brands, The Paddington Corporation
Pleased to share this announcement – Paddington Corp Merges with Pelican Brands forming Paddington Brands, LLC
FOR RELEASE June 23, 2011
Media contact:
Heather Carden
001-317-574-6408
The Paddington Corp Announces Merger With Pelican Brands
Indianapolis, IN USA – June 23, 2011 – The Paddington Corporation today announced the completion of a merger with Pelican Brands, LLC. The combined company will be known as Paddington Brands, LLC. Paddington is based in Carmel, IN and also has offices in Napa, CA and 3rd party warehousing in NJ and CA. Paddington owns Tequila 3 Amigos, the Napa Smith Brewery & Winery, and is the exclusive Importer and U.S. sales agent for a prestigious portfolio of wine and spirit brands.
Since January, Paddington, through outside investors, has injected nearly $1 million into the business to expand Napa Smith Beer and Tequila 3 Amigos in multiple markets throughout the US. The Company is committed to rolling out both brands nationally in 2011.
J. Smoke Wallin, Chairman & CEO of Paddington Brands said, “Paddington understands what today’s consumer wants– authentic, hand crafted brands with a great taste. Our team has deep industry knowledge of the distribution and retail tiers of the business providing a rapid national route-to-market in all segments of beverage alcohol.”
Our Brands
- Napa Smith Brewery & Winery: Napa Smith Beer, now available in 32 states, is a unique brand that brings the best of Napa Valley in quality and lifestyle to the fastest growing segment of the beverage industry, Craft Beer. Our brew master, Don Barkley, has been brewing amazing craft beers since 1979. Napa Smith Winery has produced award-winning wines in the past three years and is sold primarily in the Western U.S.
- Tequila 3 Amigos: Paddington’s partner in Tequila 3 Amigos is the Gonzalez family of Arizona and Mexico, where they have grown agave for generations. Paddington has announced partnerships for Tequila 3 Amigos with major NASCAR venues including Talladega, Phoenix International Raceway, California’s Auto Club Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Kansas, and Michigan International Speedways. Tequila 3 Amigos has had three named races in the past year including the 3 Amigos Tequila Talladega 250 ARCA race in April. The Company expects Tequila 3 Amigos to be distributed in over 25 states by year-end.
- Chase Distillery: Paddington also imports the Herefordshire, UK-based Chase Distillery’s Chase Vodka and Elderflower Liqueur and has launched it in ten states in the U.S..
- Paddington Wines: Since January 2011, Paddington has sold Agostón Wines from Spain into 4,085 Walgreens stores in thirty-one states. Agostón has also consistently received 90+ points in the Penin Wine Rating Guide. Paddington Brands also represents: Calatrasi from Italy, award-winning Gemtree from McLaren Vale Australia, and Brent Marris’s newest venture, Marisco Wines – The Kings Series and The Ned.
Wallin continued, “The new Paddington Brands is an exciting company that aligns an extremely talented group of industry leaders with explosive growth brands. We plan to build on our momentum as a brand investor and incubator. We are also continuing to selectively and opportunistically make acquisitions providing us additional scale.”
About Paddington
The Paddington Corp. was built upon a rich tradition of some of the industry’s greatest brands. In 1937, Charles Guttman founded the original Paddington Corporation, which became the exclusive importer of Justerini & Brooks Ltd. (J&B) scotch, and a very successful creator of brands including Bailey’s Irish Cream. Paddington was acquired by several large conglomerates in the 1960s – 1980s and eventually became a division of Diageo, the worlds largest spirits company. Diageo later folded the Paddington entity into its larger North American sales force and it has remained dormant until now. The new Paddington Brands, LLC, though a completely independent and unaffiliated company, draws on this rich tradition of building brands over the long term that Charles Guttman started so many years ago.
Paddington is headquartered in Carmel, IN, with offices in the United Kingdom and Napa, CA and a sales team covering the U.S. market and select international markets. Paddington is actively seeking acquisitions in the wine, spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverage space. Follow us on Facebook http://on.fb.me/afmdBU and on Twitter @paddingtonbrands and on the web at www.paddingtonbrands.com
