The News
Roy Farms, a family-owned hop grower in Moxee, WA, has partnered with the National Black Brewers Association to launch the Velvet Cake hop blend. The blend consists of 40% Cashmere, 30% Azacca®, 15% Chinook, and 15% Amarillo®. It will be available at the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America in Philadelphia.
The Velvet Cake hop blend is a limited‑run, event‑only product that links a major hop grower to an under‑represented brewing community. For operators it demonstrates how scarcity and narrative can spark interest without engaging the full supply chain.
The blend will be sold exclusively at the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference in Philadelphia (April 20–22), skipping conventional wholesale channel. Distributors must decide whether to take a front‑line role for a SKU that never reaches retail, while bars weigh how to leverage this distinct tasting experience without allocating inventory.
The partnership signals a growing trend: specialty ingredients are being launched at niche venues to build momentum. The blend will offer “blend‑to‑taste” option that appeals to hazy IPA makers. In 2025, hazy IPAs accounted for about 18 % of craft beer volume; their growth slowed by 4 % from the 2023 peak. Operators can use a new blend as a trial without altering existing supply contracts.
The partnership also makes an equity statement: only about 1.5 % of U.S. breweries are Black‑owned, while African Americans comprise 13 % of the population. Distributors should monitor how the 650 exhibitors position their own hop blends relative to Velvet Cake. In 2025, the event attracted more than 14 000 attendees and 650 exhibitors.
On‑premise operators can use the conference as a short‑term draw by offering a tasting menu featuring the blend and its Black‑owned partnership narrative, boosting foot traffic during the event and building a memorable brand association.
Velvet Cake’s conference‑only strategy demonstrates how niche, event‑centric launches can create buzz without expanding the supply chain. Distributors and bars could adopt this model for other specialty ingredients while maintaining lean inventories.
Original Press Release
Roy Farms of Moxee, Washington, launches premium “Velvet Cake Hop Blend” in partnership with the National Black Brewers Association
Philadelphia, PA — Roy Farms, a multi-generational farm located in Moxee, WA, announces the launch of the Velvet Cake hop blend, a new premium hop blend created in partnership with the National Black Brewers Association, a nonprofit 501(c)(6), and members' support network. With oversight from Roy Farms leadership, Master Brewers from the National Black Brewers Association hand-selected the blend to add to Roy Farms' world-class portfolio of hops. The blend will be released for purchase from Roy Farms and partners for the first time at the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, hosted in Philadelphia, April 20–22, 2026.
Members of the National Black Brewers Association visited Roy Farms during the 2025 harvest to hand-select their favorite varieties and create the first-ever Velvet Cake Hop Blend. The group collectively agreed upon a blend consisting of 40% Cashmere, 30% Azacca®, 15% Chinook, and 15% Amarillo®, imparting desirable notes of sweet, candy-like citrus and tropical, with hints of resin & spice.
Roy Farms has been at the forefront of agriculture and sustainability since the family’s first harvest in 1907. As a leader in both conventional and organic hop growing, Roy Farms is a fully integrated hop grower and processor, ensuring the highest quality from field to pellet. Additionally, Roy Farms serves as the managing partner of Latitude 46°, a Pacific Northwest breeding company dedicated to discovering innovative and sustainable hop varieties for future brewers.
The partnership marks a historic philanthropic initiative that provides both access to educational resources and capital for underserved and underutilized small businesses and brewers within the Black diaspora in the United States. A portion of the sales of this specialty hop blend will benefit the efforts of the National Black Brewers Association.
“This partnership is a vital example of leadership working together in the food and beverage sector to build and foster community. The Velvet Cake hop blend is a phenomenal product that embodies the best attributes of collaboration, fellowship, and STEM research. We are enthusiastic about the opportunities this milestone occasion will bring forth.”
- Jon Renthrope, President, National Black Brewers Association
“Roy Farms is beyond grateful to collaborate with NB2A on this exciting new blend. Life is layered much like this blend, with opportunities and surprises around every corner. We hope to be a partner for good alongside the enthusiastic and driven people associated with the NB2A, while adding a dash of fun as well. This blend has familiar, favorite notes with a unique twist.”
- Michael Roy, Owner, Roy Farms
Sources consulted (web research):
- Black Is Beautiful Beer The Biggest Beer Collaboration Project Ever I…
- Roy Hop Farm Partners With National Black Brewers Association On Velv…
- Roy Farms And The Nbba Introduce A New Hop Blend Velvet Cake
Source: BevNET