Beer Behemoth Anheuser-Busch Is Selling Its Oakland Plant — And Eliminating 142 Jobs

There’s something in the Bay Area’s water — right after Amy’s Kitchen announced the closure of its San Jose factory, Anheuser-Busch has filed to sell its AB One distribution center in Oakland. The deal, first reported by Brewbound, means Markstein Sales Co. and South San Francisco-based Matagrano Inc. will take over the plant at 8380 Pardee Drive. The plant’s 142 employees will be laid off in the deal.

What does this mean for the workers? The San Francisco Business Times reports Anheuser-Busch — the world’s largest brewer and the force behind ubiquitous brews including Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Natural Light — will bargain with Teamsters Local 853, which represents some unionized employees at the facility. The 155,000-square-foot warehouse is owned by industrial investor-developer Westcore, who bought it in 2020 for a modest $40.5 million.

Why distressing denim could be the key to great espresso

Bernal Heights resident, and entrepreneur, Joey Roth is pursuing coffee made without heat — his fancy machine, the Osma, uses cavitation, the same method used to apply dyes to clothes, to pull espresso shots. While an eyebrow-raising development, the San Francisco Standard reports Chromatic in San Jose and the non-retail Peet’s Coffee facility in Emeryville are the only to use this technology in the Bay Area so far.

Martini Week is in San Francisco this August

Fans of Northern California’s own cocktail invention, the martini, rejoice: a whole week dedicated to the drink is coming to San Francisco. From August 1-6 bars across the city will celebrate by doing what they do best (making drinks, of course) and proceeds will go to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. A few of the 12 participating bars include Kona’s Street Market, Elixir, and Wilder.

These are the most over-inflated groceries right now

It might be gas prices that are giving end-of-the-world energy, but food costs are also doing their part in the 9.1 percent total inflation rate since last June. The Chronicle reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics finds a 10.2 percent total food and beverage increase with a 13.8 percent “food at home,” or groceries, increase. Furthermore, while “cereals and bakery products” show a 13.6 percent increase from last year, it’s fruits and vegetables (due in part to their hefty import and associated labor costs) that are rising the highest year-on-year and steadily rising month by month with a 12.7 percent and 4.7 percent increase respectively.

This beloved hazelnut spread is paying homage to the Bay Area

It’s obvious which hazelnut spread, right? Nutella launched a collectable “Breakfast Across America” series of their delectable little jars. Each destination includes a breakfast recipe for how to eat the Nutella in that specific destination. For San Francisco, a portrait of the Golden Gate Bridge accompanies a recipe for sourdough bread and Nutella. (Lake Tahoe made it on the list, with a recommendation to enjoy the spread with Sheepherder bread.)

Golin