Samuel Adams Expands Philanthropic Program to Include Craft Brewers Nationwide

BOSTON, April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Samuel Adams today announced that it is expanding its philanthropy initiative, Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream, to home brewers and small craft brewers nationwide. Focused on helping up-and-coming brewers turn their passion for beer into successful businesses, the program will target funding of at least $100,000 to the craft brewing industry in 2011.

The initiative is part of the company's Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, which supports small business owners in the food, beverage and hospitality industry by providing accessible financing, as well as business and financial literacy tools and assistance. Small brewers nationwide can apply for loans ranging from $500 to $25,000 to be used for a variety of business purposes including expansion, equipment, and marketing, with all loan payments recycled back into the fund.

Launched in June 2008 in partnership with ACCION USA, one of the country's top not-for-profit micro-lenders, the broader initiative has already loaned $540,000 to over 60 businesses – largely in New England – with the goal of reaching $1,000,000 by the end of 2011.

"Our goal with the craft brewing component of Brewing the American Dream is to support small business owners in our niche of the industry who are facing the same hurdles around starting or expanding their nano or microbrewery that I faced when I started brewing Samuel Adams in my kitchen in 1984," said Jim Koch, brewer and founder of Samuel Adams.

Koch noted that 27 years ago, when he was trying to get his own brewery started, he was turned down by numerous financial institutions and couldn't find a bank that would lend him money. "I've never forgotten how hard it is to get started, which is essentially why we created Brewing the American Dream. It's our way of giving back and helping other small business owners with a dream."  

In addition to targeting a portion of the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream funds to other small brewers, Samuel Adams will also offer one select brewer the chance to receive a year-long "Brewing & Business Experienceship." Designed to focus on different aspects of the beer business, the Experienceship will provide the up-and-coming brewer extended coaching tailored around his or her specific areas of interest from Samuel Adams employees.  

Expanding Into the Big Apple

Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream also announced that it is expanding the initiative into New York City. Similar to the craft brewer portion of the program, the goal is provide lower income small businesses in the food, beverage and hospitality sectors with accessible financing as well as business and financial literacy tools and assistance.  This past February, the program also expanded its reach to offer its resources to small business owners in Lehigh Valley, Pa. and Ohio.

"Small business owners need a strong network of advisors to succeed because they often wear many hats and try to solve problems alone.  Together, Samuel Adams and ACCION USA become two instant advisors for food and beverage business owners, who can deliver operational and financial solutions," said Paul Quintero, CEO of ACCION USA.  "Brewing the American Dream provides value-added know-how and access to small loans that fulfill very big dreams.  Our program empowers small business owners to pursue their passion, while creating pride, independence and jobs – all part of the American Dream."

Quintero added that small business owners involved in the program will also have the opportunity to participate in business education and financial literacy seminars for small business owners sponsored by Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream. "Through a series of Speed Coaching events – the first of which will be held on June 13 – business owners will work with Samuel Adams employees across a number of functional areas (e.g. sales, accounting, graphic design, etc.) for professional mentoring and coaching to improve and expand their businesses," he said.

For more information about the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream program, please visit www.samueladams.com/btad.

THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY BACKGROUND

The Boston Beer Company began in 1984 with a generations-old family recipe that Founder and Brewer Jim Koch uncovered in his father's attic. After bringing the recipe to life in his kitchen, Jim brought it to bars in Boston with the belief that drinkers would appreciate a complex, full-flavored beer, brewed fresh in America. That beer was Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, and it helped catalyze what became known as the American craft beer revolution.  

Today, the Company brews more than 30 styles of beer.  The Company uses the traditional four vessel brewing process and often takes extra steps like dry-hopping, barrel-aging and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. It passionately pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of its classic beers by constantly searching for the world's finest ingredients. While resurrecting traditional brewing methods, the Company has earned a reputation as a pioneer in another revolution, the "extreme beer" movement, where it seeks to challenge drinkers' perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company strives to elevate the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions the world over, and in the past five years it has won more awards in international beer competitions than any other brewery in the world. The Company remains independent, and brewing quality beer remains its single focus. While Samuel Adams is the country's largest-selling craft beer, it accounts for just under one percent of the U.S. beer market. For more information, please visit www.samueladams.com.

About ACCION USA

In seeking a partner for Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream the brewery turned to ACCION USA to help identify deserving candidates.  ACCION USA is a private, nonprofit organization that serves low- and moderate-income individuals, primarily minorities and women, who are unable to access mainstream business loans and financial services.  A pioneer and recognized leader in the domestic microfinance field, ACCION USA is dedicated to providing microentrepreneurs and individuals on the economic margin with the crucial chance to access capital and develop greater financial literacy.  ACCION USA is a member of the U.S. ACCION Network, the largest U.S. microlending network, with over $$272 million lent since inception in 1991.  ACCION USA business loans range from $500-$25,000 and are offered nationwide via the ACCION USA online lending platform. For more information about ACCION USA's small business loan products, visit www.accionusa.org.

SOURCE Samuel Adams