Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - June 2, 2020
Here are 19 Coronavirus relief efforts that support the hospitality industry.
Small businesses across the globe continue to take hits amid Coronavirus shutdowns and policy changes. From South Africa to Istanbul, North Carolina to Latin America, and beyond— here are 19 Coronavirus relief efforts that support the hospitality industry.
Three weeks after deciding to convert their beer tanks into giant soup-making tanks, Drifter Brewing Company has fed more than 75,000 people across ten different communities in Cape Town through Operation Soup-A-Heroes.
Laws Whiskey House released a single barrel selection to support Colorado Restaurant Response. This unique single barrel bourbon has been aged 5 ½ years and has flavors of wildflower honey, butterscotch and orange peel will also be available for sale at participating Colorado Restaurant Response restaurants in May. Find a list of retailers and more details here.
Hospitality Net has been adding special coverage with specific topics pertaining to the impact Coronavirus is having on the hospitality industry. Their page contains a growing list of resources with topics that pertain to the industry, with new ones being added as they become available.
The James Beard Foundation is committed to helping independent restaurants survive the crisis, rebuild stronger, and thrive for the long term through their Open for Good campaign.
One Fair Wage’s High Road Kitchens Program launched during the COVID-19 crisis. High Road Kitchens are independent restaurants that provide food on a sliding scale to those in need, as well as providing jobs for restaurant workers and act as a subsidy for responsible restaurant owners.
The United States Bartenders’ Guild National Charity Foundation provides emergency assistance grants to bartenders and their families.
The North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild launched the #NCBeerPledge to promote health and safety as businesses begin to reopen. “The #NCBeer Pledge is our industry’s demonstration of that commitment to you.”
Hi-Wire Brewing releases a beer to benefit service industry workers in response to the impact the pandemic has had on the industry. A portion of the proceeds from every 6-pack of Donate to Service Industry Workers by Drinking This Beer sold will be donated to the USBG National Charity Foundation and the North Carolina Restaurant Workers Relief Fund.
CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees is providing support to food and beverage service employees with children diagnosed with COVID-19.
Daniel Grieves reported on chef initiatives in Latin America in the article Sharing the table with coronavirus on 50 Best Stories. Grieves is writing a book to be called Restaurants at Home, featuring 100 recipes from 100 restaurants in Istanbul. All the money raised from sponsors as well as from book sales will go into a fund for restaurant employees in need in Istanbul.
The Restaurant Workers Community Foundation created a restaurant workers’ COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund.
After seeing the community enthusiasm for their COVID relief efforts, Athletic Brewing Company has pledged to continue their efforts till they reach $100,000 in donations to The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.
The Independent Restaurant Coalition is lobbying Congress to advocate that the stimulus money and related programs pertain to and are tailored for independent restaurants.
Shiner Beer donated $500,000 to the TX Restaurant Relief Fund, an initiative by the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation. The fund benefits independent restaurants and their workers impacted by COVID-19 by issuing grants.
The Brewers Association has teamed up with Bottleshare to create the Believe in Beer fund, which support breweries and state brewers guilds impacted by COVID. “We’re proud to join efforts with the Brewers Association to reciprocate the love and strength that characterize the craft beer community and help the breweries that make it so special,” shares Christopher Glenn, Founder of Bottleshare.
Distillers from all around the nation have been responding to the pandemic by pivoting their operations to include the production of hand sanitizer. The Distilled Spirits Council has created a COVID-19 Hand Sanitizer Connection Portal as a resource for distillers looking to produce hand sanitizer, including a map of distillers that are producing hand sanitizer, a list of necessary ingredients and supplies, and distribution methods.
Garrison Brothers Distillery, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas, seeks to raise $2 million for COVID relief efforts with Operation Crush COVID-19. Rather than selling Laguna Madre, a limited-edition, 8-year-old bourbon, as planned this summer, they’ll be making all 2,004 bottles available elusively to donors who support their cause.
The Above and Beyond Foundation is dedicated to providing financial relief to help hospitality workers who have been laid off due to the pandemic. Learn more about their efforts here.
Pendleton® Whisky, who has close ties to the Western sports community, knows that many athletes within that community are facing challenges due to cancelled events and fewer chances to ride. They’ve donated $100k towards COVID relief efforts for their community.
Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - May 26, 2020
I can’t seem to find a good set of best practices for managing a pandemic, so I thought I’d share a personal compass I’ve developed over the last two grueling months.
photo courtesy of Funkwerks
“In that power of self-control lies the seed of eternal freedom.” Paramahansa Yogananda
As the world enters into a re-opening phase, I find myself bristling at the phrase “new normal” that keeps getting thrown around. I react this way because of the state of flux we all currently exist in. I don’t want to accept ambiguous new rules and haphazardly written legislation. I’m a skeptical journalist— what can I say?
As we all navigate this next phase I can’t stress enough how important it is to pay attention and stay safe, but also to stay skeptical too. Listen to your intuition, do your homework, and triple check your facts from legitimate sources that aren’t censored. It’s difficult to know what’s right and wrong now, especially as government parameters seem to change by the hour. One thing you can always control, though, is yourself.
I can’t seem to find a good set of best practices for managing a pandemic, so I thought I’d share a personal compass I’ve developed over the last two grueling months. I’m not accredited in any way to share this list as any more than a blog post, from a friend.
STAY SELF AWARE
The person who knows your health and exposure status best is you. Tune in.
STAY RESPECTFUL
It’s a dumpster fire out there, and everyone kindles it differently. It’s hard to predict how we’ll react to something so life-changing. Be easy on yourself and others during this time, and always.
STAY CLEAN
Do your part, and that goes far beyond Coronavirus. At RadCraft we often share desks in the office, and our simple rule is leave the desk space as clean or cleaner than you left it. What if we all took that approach to all of the spaces we inhabited?
STAY BUSY
Read. Write. Color. Paint. Run. Lift. Hike. Bird watch. Organize your closet. Take a Q-Tip to your floorboards. Make music. Make love. Make memories. Whatever it may be— stay busy with the activities that fuel your passions. I don’t want to look back on this time as lost time, and I know you don’t either.
STAY CALM
I’m finding that equally important as staying busy right now is giving myself time to relax and decompress. For me, that’s logging miles on trails with my cattle dog and showing up daily on my yoga mat. For you that might be blasting 90s hip hop when you’re stressed (well I guess I do that too), or talking to your plants (fine, you got me). Whatever it may be, your nervous system will appreciate you for it.
Let’s hope this “new normal” is still a long way out. And let’s take care of ourselves and each other while we figure this shit out together.
Hang in there, friends!
— Em Hutto, RadCraft Founder + CEO
Craft Industry COVID-19 Update - April 21, 2020
Earth Day is here and here are the goods.
photo at Root Shoot Malting by Emily Sierra Photography
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall
Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day— a friendly reminder to dig just a bit deeper when we celebrate out communities during pandemic. At the root of the barley community is the agriculture and land that give breweries and distilleries their ingredients. How will you make a difference This Earth Day, and every day?
The Can’d Aid Foundation shares that although COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in their original plans, they’ve still got all the ingredients for a people-powered spring cleaning. YOU can make a difference. ONE CAN can make a difference. Can’d Aid is encouraging you to spread the do-goodery by picking up just one piece of trash each day on your walk around the block.
Can ONE really make a difference? YES! 80% of Americans are at home right now. That's 262 million people; if each person picks up just one piece of trash a day, well...we'll let you do the math!
“It's a trying time for everyone, and Mother Earth is no exception - so get out there, breathe some fresh air and show Mama Earth a little love,” shares Can’d Aid, “Be sure to post a picture of your daily trash treasure on social, tag Can'd Aid and nominate a friend to do the same.” The foundation decided to do a giveaway as a way of further encouraging the do-goodery. So, on 4/25, they'll select the strangest piece of trash and the winner will receive a set of earth-loving Happy Wraps.”
More Do-Goodery
Alaskan Brewing Co. donates one percent of Icy Bay IPA proceeds to the Coastal CODE (Clean Oceans Depend on Everyone) initiative to support the health and sustainability of oceans, waterways and coastlines. Cheers to Icy Bay IPA!
Colorado-based Root Shoot Malting and Traverse Image are proud to introduce their new documentary 100 Year Lease, created to convey the importance of family farms and conservation of Colorado agriculture. Preview the film here.
Celebrate Earth Day with Findlay Brewing and be one of the first to try Blanchard River Brew Pale Ale! This beer on Earth Day and will be available for growler fills. Proceeds of this new brew will benefit the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership. The BRWP mission is to encourage water quality improvements through sustainable land and water use, collaboration, conservation and enhancement of natural and man-made resources. “Beer cannot be brewed without a strong and healthy water source,” the brewery says. “We are excited to collaborate with the Blanchard River Watershed Partnership!”
Earth Day goes virtual this year, with hundreds of web-based events around the world. Check out this global events calendar and add your own on the Earth Day Network.
Free RadCraft Co-Op Memberships- Apply Before May 1
Marketing is more important for barley crafters than ever before, but budgets have never been tighter. That’s why we decided to open up our co-op membership application early, waive fees for applications submitted by May 1st, and offer the membership at a discounted price for those who apply after May 1st. Applications will be accepted until the end of June. 2020-2021 memberships run July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Apply for your RadCraft co-op membership at radcraftbeer.com/jointhecoop. For more details, contact coop@radcraftbeer.com.
As always, if you know of a community or nonprofit effort that supports hospitality businesses in need, we want to hear about it. Comment here, or email us so we can help get the word out.
We’d also love to continue sharing your stories and help you keep track of your evolving changes around COVID precautions. Please email your COVID statements to karen@radcraftbeer.com.
Stay safe, healthy, and resilient!
—The RadCraft team
RadCraft Opens Co-Op Membership Application Early; Offers Free Membership to Barley Crafters Impacted by Coronavirus
All fees will be waived for RadCraft communications co-op membership applications submitted by Friday, May 1.
Photo by Emily Sierra
Coronavirus really turned our world upside down, and we’ve heard from so many of you that’s the case for you too. We’re here to help, and we can think of no stronger way to show that than to open our doors up to the craft barley community— for business, for support, and for our community across the globe.
Accordingly, we opened up the application period for our communications co-op a month early, we're waiving all annual fees for all breweries, distilleries, and maltsters who apply for the 2020-2021 co-op membership before May 1.
The RadCraft co-op membership is an annual program designed for craft barley crafters with in-house marketing or communications professionals. Membership includes media relations resources like press release publishing and media lists; design services professional photo and video assets; subscriptions to our annual catalogue, vendor directory, and Craft Marketing emails; free tickets & discount pricing to all of RadCraft’s educational offerings, including registration to the annual Craft Social Media workshop; and more.
Apply for your RadCraft co-op at radcraftbeer.com/jointhecoop. All fees will be waived for applications submitted by Friday, May 1. Applications will be accepted until the end of June. 2020-2021 memberships run July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
Companies who apply after May 1 can use the promo code COVIDSUCKS for 25% off the cost of annual membership.
For more information about the RadCraft communications co-op, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com.