The mother or father firm of native whiskey maker Nelson’s Inexperienced Brier Distillery has laid off the majority of its manufacturing employees, together with its common supervisor.
In keeping with a supply with details about the matter who requested to go unnamed, roughly 15 of the corporate’s 19 manufacturing staff have been dismissed on April 11.
The manufacturing employees laid off included, as famous, GM James Hensley, 5 people who specialised in bottling the spirits and 5 distillers, in keeping with the supply. The others dismissed included blenders and warehouse staff.
The supply tells Scene sister publication the Nashville Publish it’s unclear as to the rationale for the layoffs, that are everlasting and never seasonal. Whiskeyadvocate.com reported in January that U.S. whiskey gross sales declined in 2023 — a primary previously roughly 20 years — and continued to dip in 2024.
After the layoffs, the Marathon Village-based enterprise is residence to about 45 staff (each full- and part-time), the supply says. The layoffs come about three years after staff on the enterprise voted in opposition to forming a union with the United Meals and Business Employees Native 1995. A sure vote would have made Nelson’s Inexperienced Brier one of many solely distilleries within the state with union illustration.
Brothers Andy Nelson and Charlie Nelson launched the corporate in 2012, tracing their roots to a Nineteenth-century Nashville distillery run by an ancestor. In 2019, Victor, N.Y.-based beverage conglomerate Constellation Manufacturers, which additionally owns Corona and Svedka, took majority possession within the firm. The Nelsons left the corporate in 2024, and Constellation assumed management of the Nelson’s Inexperienced Brier model Belle Meade Bourbon within the course of.
Through Constellation Manufacturers, Nelson’s Inexperienced Brier Distillery nonetheless makes Nelson’s Inexperienced Brier Tennessee Whiskey and Nelson Brothers Bourbon.
Constellation Manufacturers tells the Publish the layoffs have been made, partly, “in response to shifting client and trade dynamics. The corporate issued the next assertion:
“Enterprise selections corresponding to these are all the time made with cautious thought and consideration. We’ll work with impacted staff to supply assist in transitioning to different alternatives both inside or exterior our firm. We stay dedicated to our native operations and repair to the Nashville group.”
The Nelson’s Inexperienced Brier Distillery restaurant, bar, occasions, excursions and tastings proceed to be open for enterprise. Constellation Manufacturers stated it plans to announce an enlargement of working hours “within the subsequent few weeks.”
This text was first revealed by our sister publication, the Nashville Publish.
