Scott Simmons Mr OCB

Scott Simmons, the President of the Ontario Craft Brewers Association (OCB), joins Troy Burtch to dissect the recent news about the Ontario government expediting the sale of beer in convenience and big box stores across the province. The Premier of Ontario, alongside the Minister of Finance, made a stunning announcement on May 24th that beer was coming to convenience stores much earlier than first anticipated – September 5, 2024, not 2026 like first thought. Simmons, who has been steering the ship for Ontario’s small brewers for seven years, covers every aspect of the development(s), sharing ‘behind the scenes’ information and insights, highlighting the pros and cons of the retail system we currently have and where it’s going. He also gets into why joining the OCB is smart for all breweries, clears up some misconceptions about the OCB, and identifies his celebrity doppelganger. If you work in the beer industry, and/or want to learn more about beer going to convenience stores, big box stores, and what getting rid of the Master Framework Agreement a year and a half early really means, this episode is for you. Thank you for tuning into the #BetweenTwoFermenters podcast. Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on whichever platform you get your podcasts at and be sure to follow GreatLakesBeer on all social channels. greatlakesbeer.com. Supporting local never tasted soooo good! Hosted by Troy Burtch, Between Two Fermenters, a podcast brought to you by Toronto's Great Lakes Brewery, is your go-to deep dive for all things craft beer from an insider perspective.