Jul 29, 2026
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) is leaving a big
unpaid tab. The distributor filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this
week, with liabilities between $1 billion and $10 billion, and more
than 100,000 creditors.
In this episode of the Brewbound Podcast, Brewbound editor Justin
Kendall and senior reporter Zoe Licata dive into the bankruptcy
filing, as well as the fallout, with many suppliers left wondering
if they’ll ever get paid back.
Justin and Zoe also catch up on the other big headlines, including
the Brewers Association’s (BA) 2026 mid-year report, with projected
craft volume declines of 4%. They discuss why the news isn’t all
bad – with a majority of respondents reporting growth – and
why it’s not all good.
The conversation shifts to Boston Beer’s second-quarter results and
Sun Cruiser’s growing importance to the company’s bottomline. They
also explore Boston’s growing fast-follower innovation strategy,
including Rally Dog, a potential hard sports drink challenger
brand. Plus, they touch on if beer companies might be walking back
their opposition to the spirits industry’s equalization
efforts.
Finally, seasonal creep is here and real as pumpkin beers are
already popping up on store shelves.
It’s a quick, fun recap of the latest news. Listen
here.