Jem's begins exporting, distribution in the United States

Jeremy Welfeld of
Jem's Beer Factory
celebrates the launch of
Jem's beer at Fairway Market's
Taste Israel Festival
in New York City.
(Photo: Jonathan Welfeld) 

Jem's Beer Factory, one of Israel's most veteran craft breweries, has begun to export to the United States. 

For its opening salvo, Jem's is featured at the "Taste Israel Festival" going on now in New York City's famous Fairway Markets.  Jem's founding partner, Jeremy Welfeld, traveled to New York to be at the opening of the month-long festival.

"Two of our beers are available at Fairway," said Daniel Alon, Jem's other partner and CEO.  "Our Pils, a traditional Czech Pilsner, and our 8.8, a strong Belgian style ale."

Daniel told me that the bureaucratic hurdles against importing beers into the U.S. are "cumbersome and challenging," but that Jem's was able to overcome them and link up "with a leading beer importer and distributors which will make our beer available nationwide."

One of the Fairway Markets in Manhattan.

The first target audiences are Jewish, Kosher and Mediterranean restaurants, bars and stores.

We wish the best of luck to Jem's on this brave and noble venture.  Can we expect other Israeli craft beers to follow suit?  Time will tell.  This could be the start of something big.

If you want to learn more about Jem's in the U.S., or even order some, you can contact Brad Lubin in the U.S. office (brad@jems.co.il or 917-960-0956) or Daniel Alon in Israel (daniel@jems.co.il).

(The only other Israeli craft on sale in the U.S. is Meadan's gluten-free and kosher-for-Passover beer, which has been in stores in California for the past three years.  Read about that here.)  

  

(In the past, Alexander and Malka beers were on sale in selected U.S. markets, but that has ended.  Read about these two beers at the first Israeli craft beer kiddush in America here.)