Boston Beer Co. has filed a lawsuit against a former employee, charging that the employee took proprietary information before going to work for Downeast Cider despite signing a non-disclosure and non-compete agreement.
The lawsuit was filed last week in Suffolk Superior Court. The suit says that the former employee worked for Boston Beer from 2015 until his resignation in April of this year. The employee served in positions at Boston Beer that included strategic planning and brand analysis.
Both Boston Beer and Downeast Cider are located in Boston. Boston Beer produces a cider Angry Orchard which competes with Downeast cider brands.
The suit says that Boston Beer conducted forensic imaging of the employees computer which reveled that the employee connected a USB devise and downloaded confidential and/or proprietary information in the days following his resignation.
Boston Beer seeks unspecified damages against the employee in the suit.