Craft Beer Biz Grows Yet Slows In 2017

The Brewers Association just released its 2017 numbers and while the craft beer industry is still showing growth, one undeniable takeaway is that the biz is definitely maturing and the days of double digit growth may be over (at least for now).

beer, Craft Beer Biz Grows Yet Slows In 2017

Some highlights…

The craft beer industry generated $26 billion dollars for the US economy that’s up 8% over 2016. However 2017 growth numbers slowed to 5% (that’s down 1% compared to 2016. And 76% of that growth was delivered by microbreweries and brewpubs.

The number of operating breweries in the US grew by 16%  2017 that’s 6,372 breweries currently online, an overall number made up of 3,812 microbreweries, 2,252 brewpubs, 202 regional craft breweries and 106 large or otherwise non-craft brewers.

There were 997 new breweries that opened last year and 165 brewery closings (a number which is also up from 2016).

beer, Craft Beer Biz Grows Yet Slows In 2017

Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association

“Growth for the craft brewing industry is adapting to the new realities of a mature market landscape,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association.

“Beer lovers are trending toward supporting their local small and independent community craft breweries.

At the same time, as distribution channels experience increased competition and challenges, craft brewer performance was more mixed than in recent years, with those relying on the broadest distribution facing the most pressure.”

 

 

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