National Black Brewers Association

What National Black Brewers Association does

The National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership association founded in February 2023 by Kevin Johnson (owner of Oak Park Brewery) and headquartered in Sacramento, California. Its mission is to foster career advancement and economic equity for African-American brewing professionals and brewery owners and to encourage the full engagement of Black Americans with the American brewing community. The organization operates with a small staff of approximately 6 employees and serves a member base that includes 86 Black-owned beer brands across the U.S. NB2A addresses the structural underrepresentation of Black Americans in U.S. craft brewing — where Black-owned breweries account for less than 1% of all U.S. breweries — through education and training, networking events, legislative advocacy, capital and equipment access, and the publication of the annual 'State of the Black Brewers' report.

NB2A's core programs include the Black Brewery Directory (a searchable listing of Black-owned breweries across North America), the Black is Beautiful beer collaboration (the largest beer collaboration in history, spanning 1,600+ breweries across 22 countries and raising over $6 million for social justice causes), the Equipment Donation Grant Program (which has facilitated in-kind equipment donations such as a 20BBL brewhouse from Russian River Brewing to Cajun Fire Brewing), National Black Brewers Day (October 10, recognized across 16 U.S. jurisdictions in its inaugural 2023 year), and tiered membership programs for breweries, brewing professionals, and at-large allies. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; its digital infrastructure is built on the Neon One CRM platform supporting membership applications, renewals, event registrations, and donations.

NB2A generates revenue through four streams: (1) annual membership dues, tiered by brewery production volume or industry role — currently $200/year for Black-owned breweries and $75/year for Black brewing professionals under simplified tiers effective January 1, 2026; (2) corporate Business Council sponsorships from allied trade companies including Allagash Brewing, Boston Beer Company, Diageo, Molson Coors, NBWA, and US Bank; (3) per-beer contributions from breweries participating in the Black is Beautiful collaboration ($1 per beer sold); and (4) individual and organizational donations. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored by participation in major craft beer industry events (California Craft Beer Summit, Barrel & Flow Fest, People's Beer Fest, GABF) and a content strategy built around the annual State of the Black Brewers report, monthly newsletters, and earned media coverage in Forbes, VinePair, Brewbound, and other industry outlets.

Name

National Black Brewers Association

Legal name

The National Black Brewers Association

Website

https://nb2a.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 2023 that champions 86 Black-owned beer brands in the U.S. It delivers education, networking, legislative advocacy, equipment grants, and the Black is Beautiful beer collaboration to advance economic equity for Black brewers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

Keywords

• Craft brewing association
• Brewery membership program
• Brewing industry advocacy
• Beer collaboration initiative
• Brewery equipment grants

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues collected from Black brewery owners and Black brewing industry professionals. Dues are tiered by brewery production volume (ranging from under $250 to $2,500 per year) or by industry role ($75-$2,250 for at-large members). Company memberships cover up to 10 employees.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Business Council: Corporate sponsorships and Business Council dues from allied trade companies, wholesalers, distributors, media organizations, and suppliers. Business Council members include Allagash Brewing, Boston Beer Company, Diageo, Molson Coors, NBWA, and US Bank.
3. Black is Beautiful Beer Collaboration Donations: Participating breweries commit $1 per beer (or case) sold of the Black is Beautiful collaboration beer to support NB2A. Individual donations are also accepted. Note: donations are not tax-deductible as NB2A is a 501(c)(6) trade association.
4. Donations: One-time or recurring donations from individuals and organizations supporting the mission. Tax-deductible giving programs are available through separate mechanisms (email [email protected] for details).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that provides membership programs, advocacy, education, networking, and economic empowerment resources for Black brewery owners and Black brewing professionals in the United States. Its offerings include a tiered membership program, the Black Brewery Directory, the Black is Beautiful beer collaboration, the Equipment Donation Grant Program, National Black Brewers Day, and the annual State of the Black Brewers report. NB2A operates as a centralized clearinghouse connecting 86 Black-owned beer brands with industry allies, corporate sponsors, and policymakers.

Product overview

The National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit membership association that offers a suite of programs and services to support Black brewers and brewery owners. The core offerings include the Black Brewery Directory (a searchable database of Black-owned breweries), the Black is Beautiful Beer Initiative (a global beer collaboration campaign), the Equipment Donation Grant Program (facilitating equipment donations to Black brewery owners), National Black Brewers Day (an annual celebration on October 10th), membership programs with various tiers, the annual State of the Black Brewers Report, and regular newsletters/blogs covering industry updates. These programs work together to foster economic equity, career advancement, and full engagement of Black Americans in the American brewing community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black is Beautiful: An open-ended beer collaboration initiative launched in 2020 by Marcus Baskerville of Weathered Souls Brewing Co., supporting the NB2A's work in developing and growing Black brewers nationwide. Each participating brewery commits $1 per beer sold to the organization.

Products and services

• Black Brewery Directory
• Black is Beautiful Beer Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• 86 Black-owned beer brands represented by NB2A in the U.S.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Russian River Brewing CompanycoreOthers · 1 January 2024Russian River Brewing Company (Santa Rosa, CA) donated a 20BBL brewhouse to Cajun Fire Brewing in New Orleans, LA through NB2A's 2024 Equipment Donation Grant Program. This is a significant in-kind contribution addressing the equipment barrier for Black brewery owners.
• Optimism BrewingcoreOthers · 1 January 2024Optimism Brewing (Seattle, WA) donated a packaging line to Montclair Brewery in Montclair, NJ through NB2A's 2024 Equipment Donation Grant Program, helping a Black-owned brewery scale its production and distribution capabilities.
• UC DavisminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UC Davis collaborated with NB2A at the 2025 People's Beer Fest to deliver educational workshops (10am-2pm), providing brewing industry education and technical training to Black brewers and NB2A members.
• Weathered Souls Brewing Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Marcus Baskerville, founder of Weathered Souls Brewing Co., launched the Black is Beautiful initiative (2020) — the largest beer collaboration in history. NB2A is the beneficiary of Black is Beautiful Vol. 2 Hazy IPA. Baskerville is also a founding board member and Past President of NB2A.
• Stout CollectiveminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Stout Collective is listed as a partner on the Black is Beautiful Vol. 2 collaboration page, supporting the distribution and promotion of the initiative's beer releases.
• Blue Label Packaging Co.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Blue Label Packaging Co. provides free can labels for Black is Beautiful collaboration participants, supporting the branding and visual identity of the initiative across participating breweries.
• Brewers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023NB2A members receive access to the Brewers Association through their membership, providing connections to state guilds, wholesalers, distributors, and industry events.
• Allagash Brewing CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAllagash Brewing Company is a Business Council member of NB2A. The company, founded by Rob Tod, has publicly advocated for diversity in craft beer and supports NB2A's mission through its Business Council membership.
• Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBoston Beer Company, maker of Samuel Adams, is a Business Council member of NB2A, supporting the association's diversity and inclusion mission in the craft beer industry.
• DiageocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiageo is a Business Council member of NB2A, supporting the Black brewing community through this corporate partnership.
• Molson Coors Beverage CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMolson Coors Beverage Company is a Business Council member of NB2A, supporting the association's economic equity and inclusion goals for Black brewers.
• National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNBWA is a Business Council member of NB2A, providing the association and its members with access to distribution networks and wholesale industry relationships.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• KomBrewChaBrewers: A community-driven organization supporting Black brewers and Black-owned breweries. Directly comparable in mission (advancing Black participation in craft brewing) and overlapping in member audience, though smaller and more community- than association-oriented.
• Brewers Association: The primary U.S. craft beer trade association. Directly comparable to NB2A in structure (membership-based industry association) and partially overlapping in stakeholder base, though BA represents the broader craft beer industry while NB2A focuses on Black brewers.
• Pink Boots Society: A non-profit supporting women in the brewing industry through education, scholarships, and networking. Closest direct peer in mission, structure, and program design (membership dues, grants, advocacy, flagship events), differing only in the demographic focus.
• National Black Farmers Association: U.S. non-profit advocating for Black farmers and Black-owned agricultural enterprises. Comparable in mission and operating model (advocacy, member services, partnerships with corporate allies) for a different but parallel Black-business community.

Broad incumbents

• Beer Institute: National trade association for the U.S. beer industry, including brewers, importers, and allied suppliers. Comparable as a national-level beer industry advocacy body, though broader in scope and membership than NB2A.
• U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. National trade association supporting Black-owned businesses and Black chambers of commerce. Comparable in mission (Black economic equity, advocacy, corporate partnerships) and scale of ambition, though spanning all industries rather than brewing specifically.
• Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA): Professional and technical association for brewing professionals across the Americas. Comparable as a membership-driven brewing-industry organization, though focused on technical and operational craft rather than demographic advocacy.
• National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA): U.S. trade association for beer wholesalers. Already a Business Council member of NB2A, but functions as a peer in the broader ecosystem of brewing-industry associations representing distinct constituencies along the value chain.

Regional players

• American Homebrewers Association (AHA): Membership-based U.S. association for homebrewers, affiliated with the Brewers Association. Comparable in membership-driven association structure, though its audience is hobbyists rather than professional or Black-owned brewers.

Emerging players

• Women of the Vine & Spirits: Non-profit advancing gender diversity across the beverage alcohol industry. Highly comparable in mission (DEI advancement in beverage alcohol) and structure (membership, events, advocacy), differing only in its focus on gender rather than race.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_NB2A
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalBlackBrewersAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-black-brewers-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/_nb2a

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Black Brewers Association