Drake’s Brewing Company and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company have announced a strategic partnership to create a new joint venture, West Coast Craft (WCC), bringing together two established California craft brewers in a collaboration designed to improve operational efficiency and support long-term brand sustainability.

Led by Drake’s CEO John Martin and Figueroa Mountain CEO Jaime Dietenhofer, the partnership combines production and procurement capabilities across both businesses while maintaining independent branding, ownership and product development. According to Circana data and Brewers Association definitions, the combined portfolio positions WCC among the top three independent craft beer producers in California.

The collaboration will create efficiencies across purchasing, distribution and brewery operations, enabling both companies to respond more effectively to evolving conditions in the craft beer market. Drake’s distribution strength in Northern California will complement Figueroa Mountain’s presence across Southern California and the Central Coast, with opportunities to expand brand reach beyond existing strongholds.

Production will be optimised between facilities, with Figueroa Mountain’s Buellton site handling most core brand volumes, while Drake’s San Leandro brewery will focus on innovation, limited releases, alternative beverages and Northern California draft production, alongside some contract brewing.

Company leaders emphasised that the partnership represents an operational alignment rather than a change in brand identity. Recipes, quality standards and consumer-facing activities will remain unchanged, and retail locations will continue to be owned and operated independently by each brewery.

The companies said the partnership reflects a broader trend within the independent craft sector toward collaborative operating models that improve resilience while preserving brand authenticity.

The venture initially includes Drake’s Brewing, Bear Republic Brewing, Figueroa Mountain Brewing and House Beer, with the partners indicating potential interest from additional West Coast beverage brands aligned with the initiative.

For the metal packaging sector, the partnership could support more stable production volumes and procurement efficiencies across canned beer formats, as craft brewers continue to rely heavily on aluminium beverage cans to reach retail and distribution markets.