Amid surging sales for its own brands, Hawaii-based Maui Brewing says it’s bidding to acquire San Diego’s Modern Times Beer. In a news release, Maui cites “wholesale network synergies” and says that Southern California is its second-largest market.
San Diego also is the hometown of Maui founder Garrett Marrero. “While this is just the first step in a long process, we believe in the Modern Times brand and feel it provides a tremendous opportunity for us,” Marrero says in the release. “They have an amazing, dedicated team, and we hope to contribute to the next stage in their journey as a craft brewery.”
Modern Times CEO Jennifer Briggs told Good Beer Hunting earlier this year that the company was reorganizing because of debt and that it would be willing to entertain offers from investors or potential buyers. The brewery closed four taprooms earlier this year, citing fallout from the COVID pandemic and “global declines in the craft-beer industry.” Modern Times founder Jacob McKean stepped down from the CEO position in May 2021 amid multiple employee accounts of a toxic work environment and allegations that management was indifferent to harassment.