The beer industry underwent major changes from 2010 to 2016, as craft beer gained popularity and spurred competition in the market. This new product created difficulties for popular brands such as Bud Light and Budweiser as they struggled to collectively dominate the beer industry. After craft beer peaked in 2016, craft breweries are having trouble maintaining sales and thriving in the industry. Craft beer was initially an attractive product that consumers were excited to purchase. There was a uniqueness that intrigued people and skyrocketed interest in craft beer that drove sales. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay There are various factors that contribute to the overall growth and success of businesses. Various forces within the market can influence breweries resulting in positive or negative business outcomes. The purpose of this case study is to identify problems that have occurred in the craft beer industry since 2016 and find a possible solution. This research will allow new and existing craft breweries to be informed about industry forces and will help them overcome industry challenges in order to regain momentum and compete in the beer industry. The Craft Beer Industry The craft beer industry had a significant impact on the beer industry in the early stages of the 2010s. Craft beer is an attractive product for multiple reasons. It is produced both locally and regionally. Because of this, craft beers are higher quality than cheaper, more popular beers like Miller Lite. Craft breweries also have the ability to differentiate their products by creating unique recipes and flavors. In 2015, the following craft breweries were ranked among the top 10 largest breweries in the United States: DG Yuengling and Son, Inc.; Boston Beer Company; Sierra Nevada Brewing Company; New Belgian beer company; Craft Brewing Alliance (Gamble, 2017). This shows how craft breweries have become present in the market, as they have been ranked among the largest and most well-known brewing companies such as Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Craft breweries have added value to the beer industry as a whole, reaching the $39. 5 billion in revenues by 2016 over a five-year time frame, an annual increase of 6.7% (Gamble, 2017). By the end of 2016, craft brewery sales began to decline. In 2017, 165 craft breweries closed their doors, the highest number of closures for a given year in the past decade (Siegel, 2018). This closure rate is 42% higher than the previous year, 2016, when 116 craft breweries closed (Siegel, 2018). Smaller breweries continue to close due to high competition and partial market saturation. Case Analysis Porter's five forces of rivalry, potential new entrants, substitutes, bargaining power of buyers and purchasing power of suppliers are a good basis of evaluation for this specific industry. I will use these five forces to evaluate the beer industry, focusing specifically on craft brewing and the factors that have influenced its sales. There is a great deal of rivalry in the beer industry. There are 15 beer categories made up of more than 70 styles (Gamble, 2017). For years it seems like it's been easy for major beer companies to dominate the market. However, the rise of beer production.
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