Photo | Courtesy of Jack's Abby Craft Lagers
Sam Hendler, CEO & co-founder of Jack's Abby Craft Lagers
October 8, 2024
Jack’s Abby parent to buy high-profile Everett brewery, to become largest Mass. brewer
Photo | Kate Weiser, courtesy of Level99
Night Shift Brewing at Level99 in Natick
Hendler Family Brewing Co., the Framingham-based parent company of Jack’s Abby and Wormtown Brewing, plans to buy Everett-based Night Shift Brewery, a move the company says will make it the largest producer of craft beer in Massachusetts.
The deal will see most of Night Shift’s employees joining Hendler, leaving the Framingham company with 300 employees, according to a press release issued by Hendler on Tuesday. Hendler purchased Wormtown in a deal first announced in April and operates a contract brewing operation where it produce products for other brands.
HFB will continue to operate all Night Shift-branded locations, including its Boston, Everett, and Allston taprooms. While not directly managed by Night Shift, the brand’s presence at Level 99, an interactive entertainment destination in the Natick Mall, will continue.
“This expansion is not just about growth; it’s about building a stronger foundation for our teams and brands to thrive,” Sam Hendler, co-founder and CEO of HFB, said in the Tuesday statement. “By providing resources and stability to brands like Night Shift, Wormtown, and Jack’s Abby, we will ensure that Massachusetts’ craft beer industry remains local and independent for years to come.”
Hendler, a member of the WBJ 2024 Power 100, told WBJ in May further acquisitions for the company weren’t a priority.
“The craft beer industry is going through a lot of change,” Hendler said in May. “It’s going to be really interesting to see what kinds of opportunities present themselves over the coming years, but right now we're focused on making sure [Wormtown] is successful, making sure the contract business is successful and just continuing growing the business.”
While Hender’s acquisition plans have changed since May, it’s clear the company continues to grow. HFB projects this move will lead to an annual production of 100,000 barrels (3.1 million gallons) in 2025, growth the company says will make it the largest craft brewer in the state and among the 30 largest in the country.
Founded in 2011, HFB was already the largest brewery in Central Massachusetts, producing 67,652 barrels (2.1 million gallons) in 2023, according to information provided to the WBJ Research Department. That total does not include the Wormtown operations since acquired by HBC.
Eric Casey is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the manufacturing and real estate industries.
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