Alex Evans, one owner of Madison’s Karben4 Brewing, is suing the brewery’s co-owners on behalf of the company, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Evans is alleging that the co-owners’ purchase of Ale Asylum brands and recipes through a separate LLC, along with contracts to make the beer, are harmful to Karben4’s financial health.
Evans stated that co-owners Ryan and Zak Koga “misappropriated corporate opportunities from Karben4,” by contracting with Ale Asylum, which closed last year, and Viroqua-based Wisco Pop, to make their products, placing them in companies separate from Karben4.
Evans, who owns 50% of Karben4 but has not been active in company management since March 2020, filed the action on behalf of Karben4 to enforce company rights against the Koga brothers, who each own 20% of Karben4. Their father, John Koga, owns the other 10%. Evans left Karben4 after negotiations to purchase his share broke down; he retains his ownership stake.
The lawsuit demands that the Kogas merge or transfer the assets of their companies that own Ale Asylum and Wisco Pop into Karben4 and pay Karben4 for their actions’ resulting damages.
