Rebecca Keiffer Toft’s Post

For those that have ever fantasized about getting into the #beer business, our next guest Michael Meade knows a lot of the answers. To get the full story, make sure your’re following/subscribed to Irish Stew Podcast on your preferred #podcast platform #GlobalIrishNation #Kilkenny #Brewing #IrishPodcast

The NCAA Men’s & Women’s Basketball Tournaments brought a lot of excitement to Raleigh, North Carolina. As a craft beer enthusiast, I noticed that breweries like New Belgium Brewing, Wicked Weed Brewing, and R&D Brewing were big winners during the event. This success may be specific to the Raleigh market, but it applies to larger markets as well. Having beer on tap in the right places and keeping it in stock with wholesalers was crucial in March. These two factors helped boost sales for these breweries in the North Carolina market, elevating their H1 2024 numbers and adding to the growth they were already experiencing in Q1 2024. However, not all craft breweries were successful during the tournament. Some missed the boat by not timing their promotions in the on-premise and off-premise to activate craft beer around the NCAA events. Craft beer consumers watch sports while drinking beer, so having out-of-stocks or no representation in the on-premise could be another reason why craft breweries are starting 2024 down 25%.

Since 2017, Bill Shufelt (CEO, Athletic Brewing Co.) went from hedge fund trader to the CEO of the leading producer of non-alcoholic craft beer. Unlike my typical tech-focused chats this one centers around a product I personally love. In the conversation, Bill tells stories of the unscalable but crucial strategies he used to build a brand, push past rejection, and redefine the non-alcoholic beer industry. → The unscalable activities that made Athletic a household name Athletic Brewing’s brand was built on unscalable activities, like handing out samples at races. Now, Bill often runs into high LTV customers at races he hasn’t attended in years when they say things like, “I met you in 2018 and my fridge has been full of your beer ever since.” While each sampling felt minor in the moment, Athletic has now activated thousands of events, and the long-term impacts accumulate. → How rejection helped Athletic build a competitive advantage Facing initial rejections from every contract brewer in the US, Bill took a bold step in building their own brewery. In hindsight, it allowed them unparalleled control over every aspect of production, from ingredient quality to rigorous testing of each batch. By handling everything in-house, Athletic also gains the flexibility to innovate and respond to market demands quickly—benefits that would have been unattainable had they relied on external partners. → Bill’s genius sales tactic Bill personally signed 300 deals with retail stores using clever tactics. Before pitching a buyer at a store, Bill would recruit a random grocery store shopper to pretend that they were super interested in the beer while Bill was pitching the deal. This approach helped break initial skepticism and build early buzz around their offerings, which helped Athletic secured shelf space and propel forward. For more stories and lessons from Bill, check out the full episode at: https://lnkd.in/gJjHJz_w

TailGate Brewery distributes in Tennessee only. Why? Since 2014, we've *only* distributed in Tennessee. The "*only*" is because we used to have a really neat niche of distribution in the UK of all places. But that was pretty small potatoes, and was really just too cool to pass up. We enjoyed a cult following for some of our core beers, and we were able to participate with the Brewers Association's export and development program. These days, it's all Tennessee. On the topic of craft beer distribution, I like the saying: "a mile wide and an inch deep." Since we opened in West Nashville in 2014, a lot of breweries were able to grow by opening new distribution markets in a nearby state. But what's interesting is, everyone was opening new markets. So what happened was: a brewery would send a truck of beer, enjoy the bump in sales...and never get a reorder. That beer would sit, go out of code, have to get bought back....all sorts of nightmares. But the brewery could launch another state to help smooth the bumps. Right? Eventually, your distribution footprint becomes huge. It's spread all over, but has no depth. The distribution footprint becomes....a mile wide and an inch deep. We had no crystal ball in 2014, but we could see which way the wind was blowing. Other states have other laws. The distributor end of the three tier system can be about as fair as robber barons in the early 19th century. And trying to manage all sorts of operations 4-10 hrs away? Forget about it. We chose home. All things change. All things evolve. But sitting here today, we're Tennessee only. And we have no real designs on other states. Yes we get asked a lot to expand. Yes we have opportunities to expand. But there's not real measurement when that time will be. But for now? We're here to continue our business plan of: Be the The Best Brewery in Tennessee. From there? We'll see.

NEW on our blog: Why Breweries Should Choose Lynch Logistics for Storage and Distribution! 🍻 The craft beer industry is thriving in Maine, with new beers “bubbling up” all over the state to quench the growing thirst for unique and innovative brews. 🍺 As the competition in this fascinating industry continues to heat up, breweries are constantly seeking ways to streamline their operations, reduce costs, and reach a broader audience, while maintaining their creative edge. ✨ One crucial factor in a brewery’s success is the efficiency of its storage and distribution processes. 📦 See why LYNCH is the right choice: https://lnkd.in/gjWgRsfv

A must read from Scoops Chmais:

🍻🍺 Thirsty for local beer? Discover @sacramentotop10's top picks for breweries and brewpubs in #Sacramento. #GetListed #SacramentoTop10 #SacramentoRestaurants

🍻🍺 Thirsty for local beer? Discover @sacramentotop10's top picks for breweries and brewpubs in #Sacramento. #GetListed #SacramentoTop10 #SacramentoRestaurants

🍻🍺 Thirsty for local beer? Discover @sacramentotop10's top picks for breweries and brewpubs in #Sacramento. #GetListed #SacramentoTop10 #SacramentoRestaurants

Ballantine was founded in 1840 in Newark, New Jersey, by Peter Ballantine who emigrated from Scotland. Ballantine rented an old brewing site which had dated back to 1805. It was originally incorporated as the Patterson & Ballantine Brewing Company. Around 1850, Ballantine bought out his partner and purchased land near the Passaic River to brew his Scottish ale. His three sons joined the business and in 1857 the company was renamed, accordingly, as P. Ballantine and Sons. By 1879, it had become sixth-largest brewery in the U.S., twice as large as Anheuser-Busch. In the mid-1960s the company went into decline. It was losing market share to lighter lagers with less alcohol content. (Hmmm … sounds modern day familiar 🤔) Despite advertising efforts to revive the company, the owners agreed to sell the brand, the company, and all their assets … to the Falstaff Brewing Corporation. The name would be used for the next 115 years, until the company closed its brewery in 1972. And that’s part of the history of beer in America. “The best beers are the one we drink with fiends.” — Stephen Carter King Source: Beer History in America #BeerHistory in #America #NewJersey #Ballantine #ScottishAle #Falstaff #Beer #CraftBeer #NonAlcoholicBeer #Cider #Microbreweries #Taprooms #Brewpubs #ConsumerBehavior #BrandAwareness Slàinte☘️! ✦✦✦ Stephen Carter King Chief of Growth and Marketing and Strategy and ‘The Beerconomist’ & CEO of Beerconomy • Market Analyst • Speaker • Futurist & Author • with beer market trends, insights, data and forecasts Publisher: The Beerconomist