A couple of weeks ago I shared some pints with Claude Lefebvre, the founder of North American Craft, for a small piece I was doing for TAPS The Beer Magazine's blog, which has been posted here. Lefebvre, through North American Craft, helps a number of small Ontario breweries navigate their way through the LCBO retail system by representing and promoting their various brands from store to store.
Less than two months into operation, Lefebvre has already increased the visibility of brands from Ontario breweries like Black Oak Brewing Co, Denison's Brewing Co., and Stratford Brewing, and the company has had success with getting more six-packs of Halifax's Propeller Brewing Co's ESB onto store shelves.
After spending the last twelve years working for brewing companies like KLB, Unibroue, Sleeman and Mill Street, Lefebvre felt he was in need of a change. "I think I identified an opportunity about five years ago that there was a lack of representation amongst the smallest craft breweries in Ontario," Lefebvre told me during that interview. "I think offering craft brewers consistent representation is something that I found to be non-existent with some breweries and so I decided to take on the smallest craft breweries in Ontario and kind of build stability in the marketplace for them at the retail segment of the LCBO."
As mentioned, North American Craft is working with Black Oak, Denison's, Stratford and Propeller. The company is also working with Paddock Wood of Saskatoon, who are currently in Ontario through the Beer Store system but are trying to get into the LCBO.
There will be more breweries added to the portfolio over time, so watch his website for new listings in the future.
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