Breweries
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 9,700 production breweries in the US include about 155 national or international breweries producing over 6 million barrels per year. Around 260 are regional craft breweries producing between 15,000 and 6 million barrels annually. More than 2,000 microbreweries produce less than 15,000 barrels per year. An additional 3,400 brewpub restaurants and 3,800 taprooms also produce beer on-site.
Competition Among Breweries
The beer industry is highly competitive with an increasing number of new entrants.
Industry Highly Regulated
The beer industry is highly regulated at both the state and federal levels.
Industry size & Structure
Industry Forecast
Breweries Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Nov 13, 2023 - Beer Prices Are Rising
- The Producer Price Index for breweries, which measures prices before reaching consumers, rose in September compared to a year ago but has been flat year to date. Higher prices for wheat, malt, aluminum for beverage cans, shipping, and labor are causing brewers to hike prices to cover their costs, which is being felt at the retail level. The Consumer Price Index for Beer at Home increased 4.7% in September year over year. Overall employment by breweries, wineries, and distilleries was essentially unchanged in August year over year.
- Sales of non-alcoholic beer are soaring, providing breweries with opportunities for new growth and investment, The Wall Street Journal reported in October. While overall sales of beer, hard seltzer, and alcoholic cider spiked during the first year of the pandemic, sales have since lost their fizz. By contrast, sales of non-alcoholic beer were up 32% compared to a year ago in the 52 weeks through Sept. 9, and have averaged 31% growth over four years, according to data from NielsenIQ cited by WSJ. Beverage analysts attribute the rising sales of non-alcoholic beer to better quality and taste and a generational shift in drinking culture, with younger consumers in particular drinking less. Besides an increased focus on health and wellness among consumers, the growth of the non-alcoholic beer category also reflects savvy marketing and positioning by beer makers. Moreover, non-alcoholic options open up beer-drinking times and occasions, NielsenIQ data finds.
- The change of seasons is bringing a change in beer choices with consumers switching to fall brews including lagers and seasonal beers, according to early data from online alcohol ordering and delivery platform Drizly. Classic lagers are likely to see a boost in sales this fall as sporting events and seasonal brews put a spotlight on beer. Lager, which is already trending this year, represents 42% of beer share overall compared to the same period in 2022. Lager subcategories – including light lagers, American-style lagers, pilsners, and pale lagers – have all seen significant growth over the same period, indicating consumers are returning to classic drinks at the expense of the subcategories that have garnered much attention in recent years, such as hard seltzers and IPAs, Drizly reports. Among the seasonal beers that often drive sales during autumn months, BevAlc Insights predicts that pumpkin-flavored brews will remain popular.
- Breweries will want to submit any upcoming approval requests or applications to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) as soon as possible to obtain approvals ahead of a potential government shutdown in November, the Brewers Association warns. While Congress avoided a government shutdown on October 1 by passing a 45-day funding bill to keep the government open, the clock is ticking toward the new deadline. The BA is reminding its members that based on past shutdown situations, the bureau will not review or approve labels, formulas, or brewers’ notices until the government reopens. Moreover, after the reopening longer approval times are likely to result from the larger than normal backlog of applications. Other impacts of a shutdown include the closure of the Small Business Administration, which could cut off access to federally-assisted loans and impact breweries seeking loans from a bank or credit union.
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