Mark Anthony Brewing, the producer of White Claw Hard Seltzer, Mike’s Hard Lemonade and other RTD brands, has announced layoffs at its Hillside, New Jersey facility due to a temporary pause in operations. According to a WARN filing with the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development, 143 of the 170 jobs at the site will be cut between late September and early November.
The Hillside brewery and packaging plant, which began production in June 2020 as the company’s first in-house manufacturing site, produced 11.7 million cases in 2024. It was part of a major U.S. expansion that also added facilities in Arizona (inside.beer, 14.1.2020), South Carolina (inside.beer, 12.11.2020), and Illinois. Despite this investment, an industry-wide slowdown in alcohol demand has forced production adjustments.
In a statement, Colin Nolan, executive vice president of Mark Anthony Brewing, stressed the company’s commitment to the Hillside facility, calling it “a state-of-the-art plant” and emphasizing that operations are expected to resume once market conditions improve. He added that the company, as part of the family-owned Mark Anthony Group, will provide “meaningful support” to employees impacted by the transition.
The cuts highlight broader challenges in the U.S. hard seltzer and RTD sector. After a pandemic-fueled boom, sales have sharply declined as consumer interest in flavored malt beverages waned (inside.beer, 21.07.2022). Market saturation with dozens of competing brands, consumer fatigue, and a shift back to on-premise consumption have eroded demand. At the same time, competition from other RTD cocktails and flavored alcoholic drinks has intensified. Producers have struggled with inventory surpluses and overcapacity, forcing them to scale back production and reset expectations.
Founded in 1972 by Anthony von Mandl, Mark Anthony Group is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and remains privately owned. Beyond its U.S. brewing operations, the group also runs wine and spirits distribution through Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits and manages its global RTD portfolio via Mark Anthony Brands International.
