Boston Beer names Phil Hodges as chief operating officer
The Boston Beer Company has promoted Phil Hodges, who was chief supply chain officer (CSCO) at the company, to chief operating officer.
In the new role, Hodges will report to Boston Beer founder, brewer, CEO and chair Jim Koch and will now expand on his supply chain responsibilities to oversee day-to-day operations across all functions and focus on continuing to improve execution and implementing the company’s previously announced brand building and margin enhancement initiatives.
Hodges held the role of CSCO from May 2023 after providing supply chain consulting services since 2022. He has more than 30 years of CPG experience, including roles as CSCO of Carlsberg, chief financial officer of Kraft Foods International, and general manager of Mondelez in Southeast Asia.
Margin expansion
Since he became Boston Beer CSCO, the company’s supply chain team has revealed that it has delivered “vastly improved service levels and significant efficiency gains in its breweries and procurement resulting in strong gross margin expansion”.
Despite the hire, Koch will continue as CEO, a position he assumed in August after Michael Spillane stepped down as CEO of the company after just 16 months at the helm. Koch continues to primarily focus on “high-impact areas including the company’s innovation pipeline, wholesaler relations, brand investment strategy, and talent and culture”.
Partner Content
Speaking about Hodges promotion, Koch said: “Phil brings a wealth of experience beyond his supply chain expertise, and his stepping into the COO role will enable me to focus on the big picture while he ensures we’re intensely focused on operational execution.”
Boston Beer has faced turmoil over the course of 2025 with the union representing its workers demanding fair contracts for its members and even went so far as to file an unfair labour practice (ULP) charge against the brewer.
Reassurances
Offering some reassurances about the future of the business, Koch added: “I’m excited to be back in the CEO seat and to continue to partner with Phil and our experienced and talented executive leadership team to execute our operating plans, improve our volume trends, and create long-term shareholder value.”
As part of the change of leadership, Phil Savastano has been promoted to chief supply chain officer and will be reporting to Hodges.
Savastano joined Boston Beer in March 2024 to lead operations for the Samuel Adams Pennsylvania Brewery and has previous experience with Tesla and Molson Coors.
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