One of the biggest problems in the beer industry these days is a good problem to have: too much demand. Breweries large and small are struggling to effectively plan for growth and to find the capital to afford it. Craft beer is an expensive business. Growth requires investing in new fermentation tanks, additional kegs, and [...]
The Lean (Nano) Startup (Brewery)
One of the hottest trends in tech entrepreneurship these days is the idea of the Lean Startup. The term, coined by Eric Ries, is described in his book as a process of “validated learning, rapid scientific experimentation, as well as a number of counter-intuitive practices that shorten product development cycles, measure actual progress without resorting [...]
Managing Growth in a Production Brewery
One of the hardest decisions faced by brewers in the current craft environment relates to scale and expansion. As many brewers recognize rapidly increasing sales, the challenge is to manage growth in a smooth and sustainable manner. In an ideal world, brewers would be able to exactly match supply with demand, meaning that they would [...]
The Powers of Behavioral Economics
Ever wonder why Sam Adams can charge $200 for a 24oz bottle of Utopias? Why Russian River beers fly off the shelves? And why thousands of people travel to Munster, Indiana every year to buy a beer called Dark Lord? While each of these breweries make unique and high-quality brews, the success of these beers [...]
Tis the Season
Winter is a great time for beer drinkers: imperial stouts, strong ales, and other warming beers perfect for a snowy night. It is also a great time for brewers to reflect upon the past summer and fall, and to start planning for the upcoming season. Why? Because the beer business is a seasonal industry and [...]
Comparing the Booms and The Retail Real Estate Problem
As anyone who follows the craft beer industry knows, the number of consumers interested in craft beer has skyrocketed over the past six years. This is not the first time that there has been a boom in the craft beer world. In the early 1990s, both the craft volume and number of breweries dramatically increased. [...]
The Blue Wall
Have you walked into a supermarket, beer distributor or convenience store recently to buy a sixpack of beer? With so many different designs and colors of the seemingly endless options, the beer wall can sometimes become an overwhelming experience for consumers. To stand out from the rest of the SKUs on the shelves, the Boston [...]
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