Award Spotlights Barth-Haas Group’s Sustained and Systematic Success Developing Innovative Products that Have Transformed the Global Brewing Industry

ST. PAUL, Minn. and YAKIMA, Wash., Aug. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barth-Haas Group, the world’s leading supplier of hops, hop products and services, today announced it has been named a finalist for the Outstanding Corporate Innovator (OCI) Award by the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA). The annual OCI award recognizes sustained and quantifiable business results from new products and services. Past winners include Apple, BMW, FedEx, and Harley-Davidson.

“We are proud to be named a finalist for the prestigious OCI award by PDMA, a group singularly focused on excellence in the product development and management lifecycle,” said Alex Byelashov, VP of Innovations and Brewing Solutions at John I. Haas, Inc., a Barth-Haas Group company. “Innovation is in the DNA of the Barth-Haas Group, and whether you are enjoying one of the world’s major beer brands or a favorite craft brew, it is likely that products from Barth-Haas Group are part of the formulation.”

From its origins as Joh. Barth & Sohn in Germany in 1794, the Barth-Haas Group has transformed the breeding, cultivation, and processing of hops and hop products that are vital to the brewing industry. The company has evolved from a manufacturer and trader of hop bitterness commodity products to a recognized leader in refining hops to create and market innovative, industry-leading flavor and aroma products and customer solutions that enable brewers to create exceptional beers.

For example, as part of a unique joint hop breeding program, Barth-Haas Group has developed some of the world’s most highly prized proprietary hop varieties, including Citra®, Mosaic®, and Galaxy®, that sparked and continue to sustain the global craft-brewing revolution. And just this year, the company introduced INCOGNITO™, a breakthrough new flowable hop-flavoring product that delivers both enhanced beer flavor and process efficiency in the brewhouse.

“The OCI Award recognizes sustained innovation success linked to disciplined practices and processes,” said Suzanne Thompson, Chair, Outstanding Corporate Innovator Selection Committee, PDMA. “John I. Haas has impressed us with its innovation culture, ongoing investment in innovation – embodied by its world-class innovations center and research brewery in Yakima, WA – and clear innovation success that continues to impact the global brewing industry today.”

About PDMA and the OCI Award
Established in 1976, the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA) is a community of more than 2,000 members whose skills, expertise and experience power the most recognized and respected innovative companies in the world. PDMA is the only organization that focuses on the unique set of integrated activities involved in the full lifecycle of product development and management, including innovation. The PDMA Outstanding Corporate Innovator Award is the only innovation award which recognizes sustained (five or more years) qualifiable business results from new products and services.

About Barth-Haas Group
Barth-Haas Group is the world's leading supplier of hops, hop products, and services. The Group is family owned and is active on all continents. With offices in Germany, the United States, Australia, China and the United Kingdom, the Barth-Haas Group meets the needs of brewers, large and small, around the globe. www.BarthHaasGroup.com

About John I. Haas
Haas is a leading vertically integrated hop grower, supplier, and breeder, with a world-class innovations center and research brewery located in North America. As a member of the Barth-Haas Group, Haas has the global reach to offer the products, tools, services and supply assurance needed to brew successful beers. www.johnihaas.com

Contact:

Business Inquiries:
Alex Byelashov
John I. Haas, Inc.
(509) 469-4014
a.byelashov@johnihaas.com

Media Inquiries:
Dan Mees, Holland-Mark for John I. Haas, Inc.
(617) 201-9131
dmees@holland-mark.com