Innovation is a Mindset: Observations from my First 100 Days as CEO

Someone asked me recently, “How can I be successful at Anheuser-Busch?” The obvious answers come to mind: you gotta love beer, you need to dream big and be dedicated to the work, and you have to be all in for your team. But as I’ve assumed the role of CEO, it’s become very clear there’s more to it than that.

Over the last three months, I’ve been on the road getting to interact directly with my colleagues in all corners of our business: helping announce a massive solar installation that will power operations at our Los Angeles brewery; getting a behind-the-scenes look at our craft brewery partner Golden Road’s operations; visiting our Labatt and Mill Street teams in Canada; and even taking a day to brew my own batch of beer from start to finish with our industry-leading brewmasters at our flagship brewery in St. Louis.

As I think about my conversations with hundreds of our employees, I’m most impressed by their shared commitment and conviction to embrace innovation as a mindset. Innovation sits at the core of all that we do at Anheuser-Busch, including as we:

• Develop favorite products of tomorrow, today – Consumers come first at A-B. Our desire to bring what’s new and what’s next to consumers led us to popular new introductions like Michelob Ultra Organic Seltzer, non-alcohol Stella Liberté, and new ready-to-drink offerings from Cutwater Spirits. We have dozens of other new products in the pipeline – all to deliver the flavor profiles and brewing styles our customers are looking for.
• Strengthen our communities – We pride ourselves on serving our consumers beyond our portfolio of products. Our partnerships reflect our commitment to make a difference in our communities. Last month, we joined forces with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Uber for a first-of-its-kind coalition working to end drunk driving and marked National Preparedness Month with pet-focused disaster relief efforts with American Humane.
• Ensure a sustainable future for the planet and its people – Sustainability is critical to our business because a healthy planet and quality ingredients go hand-in-hand, and our colleagues have a passion for projects that make a difference—like the solar panel installation in L.A. and our Evergrain facility in St. Louis where we take saved grain and turn it into barley-based food ingredients.

Beyond meeting with our employees, I’ve also had the opportunity to sit down with and learn from our external stakeholders, partners, other brewers and industry leaders as we come together to strengthen the beer category, contribute to shaping a policy environment that fosters more domestic investment and job creation, and find impactful ways to serve our communities. I’ve spent more time with our best-in-class network of independent wholesalers, sports league and team partners, and policy makers in Washington, D.C. with whom I discussed the beer industry’s contributions to the nation’s economy as we work to accelerate our nation’s recovery. The first 100 days were busy, but I’m more excited and energized than ever for what’s next. Our path forward is clear. We have the right team, the right strategy, and the right partners fueling our momentum as we work together to meet evolving consumer needs and behaviors.

To put it simply, to thrive at Anheuser-Busch today requires adopting an innovative mindset and dreaming big, investing in the people, products, and programs that will drive our industry forward as we work towards a better tomorrow and a future with more cheers. Because at Anheuser-Busch, our best is yet to come.