Fritz Maytag
Frederick Louis Maytag III | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 9, 1937 |
| Occupation(s) | Business executive, brewing industry leader, viticulture expert |
| Employers | |
| Parent | Frederick Louis Maytag II |
| Relatives | Frederick Louis Maytag I, great-grandfather |
Frederick Louis "Fritz" Maytag III (born December 9, 1937, in Newton, Iowa) is recognized as the former proprietor of Anchor Brewing Company based in San Francisco and previously chaired the board of Maytag Dairy Farms, known for producing Maytag Blue cheese. He is also the proprietor of York Creek Vineyards located in St. Helena, California. His efforts to rejuvenate Anchor Steam beer significantly influenced numerous brewers and established him as a trailblazer in the contemporary microbrewery movement. Additionally, Maytag has contributed as a trustee at Grinnell College, where he played a role in attracting prominent individuals such as Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs.
Biography
As the great-grandson of Maytag Corporation founder Frederick Louis Maytag I and son of the founder of Maytag Dairy Farms, Frederick Louis Maytag II, Maytag carries forward a legacy of entrepreneurship. He completed his education at Deerfield Academy in 1955 and later attended Stanford University, graduating in 1959.
In 2005, Inc. placed him seventh on their list of "26 Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs," highlighting his methodical business strategies. The James Beard Foundation honored him with a Lifetime Achievement award in 2008 for his contributions to Anchor Brewing.
Anchor Brewing Company
In 1965, motivated to pursue ventures outside his family’s appliance industry, Maytag acquired Anchor Brewing Company to prevent its shutdown and restore its success. His family’s appliance business was distinguished by innovation in washing machines and famously promoted through the enduring Lonely Maytag Repairman advertising campaign—one of the most effective marketing efforts ever.
Emulating his family’s dedication to superior quality and materials, Maytag championed Anchor Steam as a specialty craft beer produced in limited quantities despite initial obstacles such as contamination problems during the 1950s and 1960s. He made substantial investments by leveraging his inheritance to modernize the brewery and refine production methods.
During his tenure, Anchor Brewing relocated in 1979 from its original location in San Francisco’s Design District to a larger facility at Potrero Hill to accommodate increased demand. To preserve product excellence without excessive expansion, Maytag encouraged the rise of other microbreweries by sharing knowledge and helping reduce competitive tensions.
Maytag divested from Anchor Brewing Company in 2010.
External links
- 1937 births
- American brewers
- Businesspeople from the San Francisco Bay Area
- Deerfield Academy alumni
- Food and drink in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Living people
- Maytag family
- People from Newton, Iowa
- Stanford University alumni
- Viticulturists
- People from St. Helena, California
- James Beard Foundation Award winners