According to data from the Brewers Association, many large craft breweries are struggling to grow



[ad_1]

More than half of the 50 largest breweries defined by the Brewers Association have not grown in 2018, according to data published in the May / June edition of the non-profit trade group. New brewer magazine.

This is the third year in a row that at least half of the 50 largest regional brewers – producing between 15,000 and 6 million barrels of beer a year – have not grown. In 2018, 28 of the 50 largest independent breweries either declined or remained stable. In fact, only seven of the top 20 companies reported single digit growth of less than 5%.

Volume of beer in three of the top five craft breweries – D.G. Yuengling and Son (-2%), Boston Beer Company (-7%) and New Belgium Brewing (-11%) – declined.

However, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was outweighed by the trend. After declines of 7% in a row, the California and North Carolina-based brewery has returned to growth in 2018, increasing production by 2% to nearly 1.1 million barrels.

At the same time, the 12% increase in Firestone Walker's production was responsible for the entire growth of Duvel Moortgat USA, accounting for 5% of growth, while volumes fell at both Boulevard Brewing ( -10%) and Brewery Ommegang (-8%).

Other beer companies in the top 20 that experienced volume growth in 2018 included Bell & # 39; s Brewery (+ 3%), Canarchy (+ 3%), Stone Brewing (+ 3%), SweetWater (+ 2%) and New Glarus (+ 2%). .

Among the 20 most notable craft brewers that declined last year were Shiner-Gambrinus (-3%), Deschutes Brewery (-8%), Artisanal Brewing Ventures (-3%), Brooklyn Brewery ( -4%), Minhas (-9%). percent), Matt Brewing (-3%), Alaskan Brewing (-5%) and Great Lakes Brewing (-3%).

Only two of the 20 largest companies recorded consistent volumes in 2018: the Dogfish Head brewery and the Harpoon brewery.

Four of the top 50 largest breweries – Rhinegeist Brewery, three Floyds, Georgetown Brewing and Two Roads Brewing – posted strong double-digit volume growth. The fast-growing Rhinegeist brewery grew by 16% to over 100,000 barrels, while Three Floyds (+ 25%) and Georgetown (+ 37%) each produced more than 80,000 barrels.

In addition to New Belgium, three other top-50 companies – Flying Dog (-11%), Full Sail (-13%) and Bear Republic (-15%) – recorded double-digit declines in volume.

Outside the top 50, Tree House Brewery, Massachusetts, is one of the largest, fastest growing craft beer companies, with a 130 percent increase in volume to 44,250 barrels from 19,250 barrels. in 2017. Also note BrewDog brewer, of Scottish origin, which has a US division based in Columbus, Ohio, increased its production by 456%, to 36,353 barrels, after producing only 6,539 barrels in 2017.

Several other companies in the 100 largest craft breweries recorded strong double-digit growth, including Great Divide (+ 54%), Modern Times (+ 41%), Montauk Brewing (+ 22%), Creature Comforts (+ 46%) , Catawba Brewing Co. (+ 94%), Santa Fe Brewing (+ 40%), Pelican Brewing (+ 39%), Night Shift Brewing (+ 62%) and Belching Beaver (+ 68%).

The efforts of the San Diego-based Green Flash Brewing company were unsuccessful after a year of financial turmoil that culminated in a foreclosure sale, but it was futile. The company, previously one of the largest producers of craft beer in the United States, was outside the top 50 in 2019. Its volume fell 37% to 45,345 barrels, a drop of nearly 27%. 000 barrels a year.

The BA has also shared data for companies that do not meet its definition of craft brewer. Together, these companies produce more than 8 million barrels of beer.

The combined production of Anheuser-In-Bev InBev's 11 craft brands grew by 1%, with seven of the world's largest beer craft brands now exceeding 100,000 barrels, the BA announced.

The two largest craft brands of A-B – Goose Island (550,000 barrels) and Shock Top (430,000 barrels) – fell 7% and 23%, respectively. Seattle-based Elysian Brewing Company continued to expand, growing 38 percent to 220,000 barrels. Three other A-B brand brands broke through 100,000 barrels last year, including 10 Barrel Brewing (100,000 barrels), Four Peaks Brewing (100,000 barrels) and Golden Road (160,000 barrels). Other brands have already achieved this goal (Karbach Brewing at 125,000 barrels) or are getting closer (Breckenridge Brewery at 95,000 barrels and Blue Point at 90,000 barrels).

At the same time, MillerCoors' largest craft brands – Blue Moon and Leinenkugels – also struggled in 2018, down 4% and 15%, respectively. Nevertheless, the four craft brands acquired by the company – Saint Archer (+ 21%), Hop Valley (+ 12%), Revolver (+ 15%) and Terrapin (+ 12%) – all posted growth at two figures. Nevertheless, only one of these companies, Georgia-based Terrapin, was on the verge of becoming a 100,000-barrel brand, brewing 95,000 barrels last year.

Constellation Brands' $ 1 billion purchase of Ballast Point Brewing continued to deliver diminishing returns as the San Diego-based brewpub experienced a double-digit decline for the year in a row (-15%). Other brands acquired by Constellation, Funky Buddha Brewery (Florida) and Four Corners Brewing (Texas), posted single digit growth of 1% and 4%, respectively.

Despite the rapid growth of its famous Hawaiian-themed Kona brand, the Craft Brew Alliance lost 1% in 2018, reaching 756,959 barrels.

Also noteworthy: Anchor Brewing of San Francisco, acquired by the Japanese brewery company Sapporo Holdings for $ 85 million in 2017, recorded a double-digit decline for the second year in a row, with a 16% drop to 91,938 barrels . Anchor's volume has been steadily declining since its peak of 159,000 barrels in 2014.

This was not the case for other craft breweries. Lagunitas Brewing Company, owned by Heineken, grew by 6% and broke the one-barrel mark for the first time in 2018. And driven by the 21% growth in Founders Brewing Company's products, the craft brands from Mahou San Miguel increased by 17%. The founders' growth of 563,179 barrels in 2018 was only partially offset by a 14% decline in the other American brewery Mahou, the Avery Brewing Co. brewery.

The category "total crafts", as defined by the BA, has increased by 4% to reach 25.9 million barrels in 2018.

[ad_2]

Source link