News emerged today that MillerCoors, a name in use since 2008, will go away, to be replaced by Molson Coors Beverage Company, reflecting its parent company, Molson, and the fact that its lineup includes more than just beer.
The company is already called Molson Coors throughout the rest of the world.
However, the names of Miller beer brands will not change, which comes as little surprise, because a brand new Girl in the Moon mural just went up on the brewhouse a couple weeks ago.
"Everyone already refers to (the company) as Miller Brewing and that's not going to change," says spokesman Marty Maloney. "(The name) will live on in our brands."
Frederick Miller opened his Milwaukee brewery in 1855.
Today's news comes at the same time that the company announced that its Denver offices will close and the Chicago office will become the company's North American headquarters.
While the move could result in a loss of up to 500 jobs, according to news reports, none of those losses will be at the Milwaukee brewery, and, in fact, the company plans to move an unnamed number of corporate jobs to the Milwaukee offices at 3939 W. Highland Blvd.
"Can't say how many (jobs) yet," says Maloney. "But it will definitely be a job increase (overall). This is a tough day for a lot of people but good news for Milwaukee."
According to a report in Business Insider, the consolidation means the company can reinvest $150 million each year.
Beer sales fell overall all in the U.S., according to that report, and sales of Coors Light dropped 3.9% while Miller Lite fell 1.3% in 2018.
"Our business is at an inflection point. We can continue down the path we’ve been on for several years now, or we can make the significant and difficult changes necessary to get back on the right track," said new Molson Coors president and chief executive officer, Gavin Hattersley, in a press release today.
"Our revitalization plan is designed to streamline the company, move faster and free up resources to invest in our brands and our capabilities. Through it, we will create a brighter future for Molson Coors."
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
