Horizon Beers/Agency

[atomeyes]

Just wondering if anyone has any insight on what's happening or will happen with Horizon's move into the Ontario market.

Beside them being responsible for bringing Westy 12 into Ontario (date TBD lol@LCBO), they have a very nice Belgian beer list.

their Ontario beer list is currently very small. they have Duvel, which i thought was distributed by Premier.
their Alberta list is the interesting list: http://horizonbeers.com/brands/alberta

I was told that they poached the Rochefort account from Esprit; one would have to wonder if St Berny and Achel are also poached. I've also heard that Rochefort will be listed at the Beer Store, not the LCBO (something I find hard to believe).

I just brought some Cantillon back from Alberta. Horizon is also the distributor.

Just wondering if anyone gets a vibe or feel as to what will be happening to our (Belgian) import landscape. Are the days of private orders via Esprit numbered?

[mintjellie]

Why would it be poaching? Isn't it normal for breweries to switch distributors if they feel someone else can do more for their brands?

[PeenSteen]

The Rochefort 8 and 10 that are showing as new items in the LCBO both list the agent as Esprit

[Jonah Hex]

There was news (rumour?) that

Maredsous Brune, La Chouffe and Ommegang Hennepin at TBS in both bottle and keg

in the thread at
http://www.bartowel.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=8343

[Cass]

I have a feeling a lot of Western importers will be able to make inroads, or at least try to, in Ontario.

As it's so easy to import to the Western provinces the importers are getting a lot of product in and connections with breweries. Makes sense they'll try to leverage that into Ontario...

[Torontoblue]

I was told that they poached the Rochefort account from Esprit; one would have to wonder if St Berny and Achel are also poached.

Suppliers can be represented in different provinces by different agencies. Happens all the time. So, they've not been poached, just represented by a different agency.

[JeffPorter]

Suppliers can be represented in different provinces by different agencies. Happens all the time. So, they've not been poached, just represented by a different agency.

This is currently happening with Cuvee Rene, is it not?

[Jonah Hex]

From http://horizonbeers.com/now-available-ontario

Now available in Ontario.....

We are pleased to now have more of our brands available in Ontario. Check out some of these hot spots to enjoy our delicious beers:

DE KONINCK- The Twisted Kilt, St Veronus, West 50 Pourhouse & Grille, The Rhino, Sauce on Danforth, Sin & Redemption, Village Idiot, Sauce on Danforth, Monks Table

DUVEL: Sin & Redemption, Town Crier, Village Idiot, Against the Grains, Hair of the Dog, La Petit Dejeuner, Brydens, Betty's, Bier Markt Esplande, Bier Markt King St W, Bier Markt Don Mills, Beer Bistro, Bar Hop, By The Way Cafe, The Only Cafe, Smokeless Joe's, The Twisted Kilt, St Veronus, West 50 Pourhouse & Grille, The Rhino, Sauce on Danforth, Monk's Table

HOUBLON CHOUFFE- SIn & Redemption, Village Idiot

LA CHOUFFE- Sin & Redemption, Town Crier

LIEFMANS- Sin & Redemption, Town Crier

MAREDSOUS- Village Idiot , Sin & Redemption

*****SOON TO BE COMING---
OMMEGANG HENNEPIN AND OMMEGANG BPA
MAISELS WEISSE ORIGINAL AND DUNKLE

No date listed on the post, so I don't know how old it is. I know WEST 50 now has HOUBLON CHOUFFE, LA CHOUFFE, LIEFMANS Fruitesse on tap.

[dale cannon]

From http://horizonbeers.com/now-available-ontario

Now available in Ontario.....

We are pleased to now have more of our brands available in Ontario. Check out some of these hot spots to enjoy our delicious beers:

DE KONINCK- The Twisted Kilt, St Veronus, West 50 Pourhouse & Grille, The Rhino, Sauce on Danforth, Sin & Redemption, Village Idiot, Sauce on Danforth, Monks Table

DUVEL: Sin & Redemption, Town Crier, Village Idiot, Against the Grains, Hair of the Dog, La Petit Dejeuner, Brydens, Betty's, Bier Markt Esplande, Bier Markt King St W, Bier Markt Don Mills, Beer Bistro, Bar Hop, By The Way Cafe, The Only Cafe, Smokeless Joe's, The Twisted Kilt, St Veronus, West 50 Pourhouse & Grille, The Rhino, Sauce on Danforth, Monk's Table

HOUBLON CHOUFFE- SIn & Redemption, Village Idiot

LA CHOUFFE- Sin & Redemption, Town Crier

LIEFMANS- Sin & Redemption, Town Crier

MAREDSOUS- Village Idiot , Sin & Redemption

*****SOON TO BE COMING---
OMMEGANG HENNEPIN AND OMMEGANG BPA
MAISELS WEISSE ORIGINAL AND DUNKLE

No date listed on the post, so I don't know how old it is. I know WEST 50 now has HOUBLON CHOUFFE, LA CHOUFFE, LIEFMANS Fruitesse on tap.

Based on their twitter feed, this seems to have been an Oct. 29th announcement.

This is a sick development. Ommegang, La Chouffe and Houblon Chouffe available locally? I'm sure this will make many of us very happy.

[Torontoblue]

This kind of a little hi-jack, as it doesn't involve Horizon, but it's only going to get better in Ontario after a chat I had with an agency friend on Saturday; he has an wonderful portfolio, and fingers crossed all works out for him.

[atomeyes]

i may actually have to go to Sin and Redemption again. uggg.

i wonder why Beer Bistro hasn't tapped any of these options?

[dale cannon]

This kind of a little hi-jack, as it doesn't involve Horizon, but it's only going to get better in Ontario after a chat I had with an agency friend on Saturday; he has an wonderful portfolio, and fingers crossed all works out for him.

Do go on...

[esprit]

Horizon does like to stir the pot with musings about stealing brands (which is their stock in trade because it's easier to steal than build which we have for over 20 years). Atef, who owns Sin & Redemption, their next door neighbour Village Idiot and Town Crier on John St. (formerly Fat Belgian and Potato Blues) now carries almost our entire portfolio so they are all worth a visit. I've eaten at all 3 and they offer some decent pub fair. I am as surprised as anyone with the volume they buy from us which means the stuff is selling. An unlikely group of pubs selling high end Belgians but, what the hey, more places to get good beer. Atef is very supportive and we certainly recommend his establishments to anyone who is listening.

[mintjellie]

Horizon does like to stir the pot with musings about stealing brands (which is their stock in trade because it's easier to steal than build which we have for over 20 years). Atef, who owns Sin & Redemption, their next door neighbour Village Idiot and Town Crier on John St. (formerly Fat Belgian and Potato Blues) now carries almost our entire portfolio so they are all worth a visit. I've eaten at all 3 and they offer some decent pub fair. I am as surprised as anyone with the volume they buy from us which means the stuff is selling. An unlikely group of pubs selling high end Belgians but, what the hey, more places to get good beer. Atef is very supportive and we certainly recommend his establishments to anyone who is listening.

I've asked this a few times when the subject of "poaching" or "stealing" brands come up, and no one has ever been able to give me a good answer.

How do you "steal" a brand from another representative. Isn't the brewery free to enter into a relationship with whatever importer/distributor/representative they want? Isn't a brewer free to change who represents them when a contract ends? If the brewer feels they can get better representation from someone else, and change accordingly, then how is that poaching? Is it really wrong to actively try and convince someone elses client that you can do better for them?

I just don't grasp what is meant by "poaching" or "stealing" in this context.

[Torontoblue]

You've covered the answer perfectly there. That's how it happens. And will continue to happen. It's a very 'fluid' business, if you pardon the pun, and brewers/wineries/distillers will always continue to move between agencies. Sometimes, an agencies portfolio will be too big so they decide to let a few suppliers go, mainly the ones that don't fit the new direction they are heading or looking for. And a new agency will step in. Suppliers approach agencies all the time, and vice versa.