Lay-offs at Stone

Announced last week - about 75 people. Are any of the Socal people hearing anything about this? For us outsiders it looks like a typical Private Equity douchebag move.

More and more of the work load is being done at the Richmond facility, perhaps the layoffs reflect that, reducing redundancies

Rick, from the SD beer rags,

75+ employees were let go. Stone calls it restructuring but everyone within the walls says its due to years of careless over-hiring and reckless management, sales are down at Stone, new CEO, lots of domestic and overseas expansion, yea, their starting to sound more and more like an InBev.

Cheers,

Bud

Rick - from what I’ve read, your take seems spot on. The comments by George B below to an article on New School Beer jives with Bud’s note above - http://www.newschoolbeer.com/2016/10/stone-brewing-announces-major-company-layoffs.html

George BOctober 14, 2016 at 2:16 am
If we read between the lines, we will quickly realize that the restructuring isn’t about Big Beer, or “ultra-local” beer, whatever that means (it’s also a pretty cowardly move on Stones part to try and deflect the blame onto their fellow craft beer comrades, many of whom they distribute for, I might add). No. This restructuring is about years and years of Stone’s careless hiring, an unfocused and seemingly random game plan, and a blatant disregard for employee’s satisfaction and well-being. I speak for the vast majority of Stone expats when I say that the employees at Stone were never a top priority for the company. Ask anyone who worked there, or still works there for that matter, and they will tell you that they are underpaid and overworked. Morale within the walls of Stone is often shockingly low, I’m sure lower after today. The real sadness about this though, is that the people in charge of making these careless decisions won’t at all be affected by their actions.
Over the last many years, I’ve watched as Stone has quietly transitioned from a company who’s bottom line is focused strictly on the quality of their products, to a company who’s bottom line is focused strictly on the amount of money coming through the door at the end of the day. This transition is a sad, and all too common reality in the current craft beer world. It’s sadder to see companies as monumental as Stone fall for the same hook. The beauty of being a part of a craft industry is that we don’t have to focus our bottom line on money. We can instead focus on innovation and passion, and let the money come second as a result of those things. When a craft company becomes about the money, they may as well not even bother to call themselves craft anymore. Stone is a perfect example of this, especially as they flail to keep the illusion that they will continue to remain “fiercely independent” despite recently reaching a sizable deal with a private equity firm.
I hope that the news today sheds a little bit of light on the ugly underside of Stone’s giant and intimidating façade. It’s a disappointing reality who’s exposure was a long time coming