Now we don't pretend to know everything, but we can say with fair certainty that the first thing most people think of when they hear the word "Walmart" isn't craft beer.
Actually, we're willing to bet that a lot of Walmart shoppers out there probably buy their craft beers from different stores, only choosing to buy big-name brews from the chain.
However, as it turns out, Walmart actually was selling its very own line of craft beers -- and it just got sued over them.
FoodBeast reports that the giant retailer sold a line of private-label "craft beers" and is now getting sued because customers feel deceived, saying that the craft beers really weren't craft beers at all.
Essentially, Walmart claims that it partnered up with a craft brewing company called Trouble Brewing; only the company that shows up in Walmart's paperwork for the "craft beer" alcohol is actually called WX Brands. What's more, even though WX Brands definitely develops an area of different alcohols internationally, it actually doesn't fit into the legal definition of craft beer, which requires less than 6 million barrels of beer to be crafted per year, as well as less than 25 percent of a non-craft brewer to own it.
Whoopsie.
Additionally, the only Trouble Brewing company that actually exists is an Irish Brewery and totally doesn't match up with any of the info Walmart gave about its partner!
So Walmart was being super shady by putting its "craft beers" next to other real craft beers in the stores, and then hiking up their fake "craft beer" prices -- that includes Walmart's Cat's Away IPA, After Party Pale Ale, Round Midnight Belgian White and Red Flag Amber beers.
FoodBeast reports that consequently, a group of residents from Ohio has brought a class-action lawsuit against Walmart, and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as an injunction that seeks to prevent the chain from labeling their beers as craft.
We guess we'll stick to purchasing all of our craft beers from more reputable and established retailers from now on!
What do you think of Walmart's deception?