Boulevard Brewing renames staple brand, gives portion of sales to charity

Boulevard Brewing Co., like many craft brewers, shares a deep connection with its hometown. Well, this Kansas City staple has decided to wear its devotion on its label by rebranding the Boulevard Pilsner, one of its more popular offerings, to KC Pils, an all-malt lager brewed to echo and honor Kansas City’s rich brewing tradition.

In the weeks ahead, consumers can expect to see the bold new KC Pils packaging on retail shelves and a redesigned tap handle in bars and restaurants. The changes bring the beer back into Boulevard’s family of core brands, with the brewery’s familiar bottle and trademark packaging allowing for easier consumer identification.

The Kansas City devotion doesn’t end with the changed logo. In fact, along with the image makeover, the company announced that it will donate to area charities a full 10 percent of sales of KC Pils in Greater Kansas City.

“From the beginning, we’ve worked hard to give back to the community,” said Jeremy Ragonese, director of marketing for Boulevard. “The 10 percent for KC program takes these efforts to a new level, and allows us — in an even more direct and meaningful way — to express our appreciation to the people who support us and the organizations that make this city a better place to live.”

At the beginning of each calendar quarter, three charities will be selected from a pool nominated by the public. The organizations will have several weeks to help spread the word about their selection before a 10-day online public voting period determines the results. The top vote getter will receive 60 percent of available funds, while the two runners-up will each collect 20 percent. The process will repeat itself every three months, meaning that 12 worthy organizations will receive funding each year. Consumers are invited to visit boulevard.com/we-love-KC to submit nominations for future consideration.