MillerCoors, Chicago, announced the opening of Tenth and Blake Beer Co., an independent, yet connected, company focused on craft and import beers. Tenth and Blake Beer Co. will focus on strengthening relationships within the beer industry and enhancing the overall craft and import segments volume and growth, MillerCoors said. Tenth and Blake Beer Co. will maintain craft beer brands Blue Moon, Leinenkugel’s and Colorado Native and import brands Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Grolsch.

“This is a unique and exciting period in the beer business,” said Tom Cardella, chief executive officer and president of Tenth and Blake Beer Co., in a statement. “With the added focus on our craft and import brands and the talent within our brewing network, Tenth and Blake Beer Co. has the opportunity to make an impact and continue to help grow this segment. We’re made up of passionate brewers and merchants of the world’s finest specialty brews, and we look forward to celebrating the joy of beer with beer drinkers throughout the U.S.”

Tenth and Blake Beer Co. will own the strategic business drivers, including marketing, trade marketing and an independent sales organization dedicated to the craft and import business. The company will in-source other capabilities from MillerCoors, including legal, communications, human resources, marketing services and consumer insights, the company said.

“Employees of Tenth and Blake Beer Co. will take beer passion, education and capabilities to the next level,” Cardella said. “All team members will participate in training at one of our breweries, take part in beer merchant sessions and go through sales training to better understand and serve our customers.”

The company’s name reflects its MillerCoors heritage taking ‘Tenth’ from the 10th Street Brewery in Milwaukee that brews Leinenkugel’s and various specialty beers, and ‘Blake’ from Blake Street in Denver, which is home to the Blue Moon Brewing Co. The facilities will be the primary sources of many of Tenth and Blake Beer Co.’s beers and will serve as incubators of ideas and future products, the company said.