10 Apr Jim Koch Signals the End of the Craft Beer Revolution Could Be Near
Last Friday, April 7th, Boston Beer Co. founder and craft beer legend Jim Koch published an opinion piece in the NY Times titled “Is It Last Call for Craft Beer?“
In this op-ed, Koch acknowledges that “we agree that this is the greatest tie in history to be a beer drinker in America.” Yet, he indicates a potentially ominous future for the industry and its 5,300 small breweries due to a variety of factors–but most notably, the dramatic consolidation of industry giants and acquisitions by and mega-deals from Anheuser-Busch InBev. Overnight, about 90% of domestic beer production was in the hands of just two brewing giants. The immediate result was a 6% increase in beer prices and the end of a decades-long decline in real beer prices.
Furthermore, he added in his piece that if you get some craft brewers talking, “they’ll tell you we are headed for a time when independent breweries can’t afford to compete, can’t afford the best ingredients, can’t get wholesalers to support them, and can’t get shelf space and draft lines.”
To read his full op-ed, please visit: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/opinion/is-it-last-call-for-craft-beer.html?_r=2.
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