KZG’s Eric Orlando Helps Breweries Secure Home Delivery Privileges During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Businesses across the state have had to adjust to the new economic and regulatory climate caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, finding new ways to service their customers while complying with strict social distancing measures. New Jersey’s craft beer industry, with over 100 breweries statewide, has been no exception, impacting how breweries sell products on and off site. Throughout the past month, KZG’s Eric Orlando, Executive Director of the Brewers Guild of New Jersey, has helped breweries navigate this “new normal,” taking on the daily challenges which face the state’s craft beer industry.
In the state’s efforts to control the spread of the virus, while deemed “essential businesses”, craft brewery tasting rooms were still restricted to takeout beer only at the onset of the coronavirus in early-March, cutting for some breweries over half of their revenue overnight. Eric was instrumental in fighting for new revenue streams for the struggling industry and worked with other alcohol industry leaders to promote these ideas to policymakers. On March 16th , Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 104 which allowed breweries to gain direct-to-consumer delivery privileges for the first time.
Securing beer delivery was a major step forward for New Jersey brewers, but this victory was short lived when a new executive order was issued by the Governor, mistakenly striking this home delivery right on March 21st. Once again, Eric on behalf of the Guild stepped up and worked in conjunction with other industry stakeholders to advocate for the restoration of delivery privileges.
Due in part to Eric’s efforts on behalf of the Guild, on March 30th, breweries were back to delivering beer to thousands of happy customers through a new ruling by the State. Eric’s diligent work with the Governor’s Office, the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Legislature, and other industry trade groups has made it possible for breweries to continue their operations and maintain most of their workforce to the benefit of craft beer fans in New Jersey and beyond.
