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为谋生路,精酿啤酒业颠覆商业模式

Chris Morris
2020-10-21

对很多啤酒企业而言,眼下正是生死存亡之秋,是它们正真需要帮助的时候。

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图片来源:COURTESY OF ALE ASYLUM

在新冠疫情爆发前,精酿啤酒行业呈爆发式增长的好日子便已经划上句号,不过小型独立酿酒企业的数量仍然在逐年增加,而且当时没有任何迹象显示这种趋势将会出现重大调整。然而,待到春季,小型酿酒企业过多的情况可能会造成毁灭性后果。

啤酒协会(Brewers Association)的首席经济学家巴特•沃森表示,在居家办公期间,虽然有很多人会通过Zoom与亲友同事聚会玩乐,白天畅饮也是常事,但今年迄今为止,啤酒销售总额并未出现太大变化,加上酒吧大门紧锁、餐馆鲜啤销售陷于停滞,为了“活下去”,小型啤酒企业不得不调整自己的商业模式。

许多啤酒企业提升了外带啤酒的产能,也有少数企业已经能够为客户提供送货上门服务,不过黑云压城之际,市场需求下跌或许只是时间问题。

沃森说:"新冠疫情冲击小型酿酒企业时恰逢一年之中的销售旺季,酿酒企业要靠这段时间赚的钱来撑过淡季,现在这些企业可能还撑得下去,不过还得看冬季的情况……碰到这种事,企业肯定会出现现金储备减少、财务受损的问题,因此我认为,未来6到12个月,酿酒企业的倒闭率可能会上升。”

Ale Asylum位于麦迪逊,其联合创始人奥托•迪尔巴称,虽然公司自营啤酒餐厅的露台很大,重新开放后生意也很不错,而且公司推出的“Fvck Covid”啤酒备受追捧,一经推出便迅速售罄,但今年到目前为止,公司的业务仍然下降了40%之多。

为了降低病毒传播的几率,Ale Asylum的室内餐厅目前仍然处于关闭状态。而随着冬季的到来,重启室内餐厅更加无望。这就带来了另一个问题。

迪尔巴说:“由于我们同时也生产啤酒,如果要隔离14天,我们的生意就完了。”

Ale Asylum现在的业务亮点无疑是Fvck Covid,这种比尔森啤酒(和Fvck Covid 2.0朦胧IPA)不仅在该公司的自营餐厅及威斯康星州、伊利诺伊州等传统市场广受欢迎,还在另外12个州赢得了市场的欢心。该公司随后还将推出Apocalypse Bingo系列啤酒与Fvck Covid一同销售,Murder Hornet Pale Ale将作为该系列的首款产品率先上市。

虽然多数啤酒企业已经用罐装啤酒取代了生啤和酒吧业务,但对没有自营装罐生产线的小型啤酒企业而言,这无疑是一个新的挑战。移动罐装企业近来业务非常繁忙,很难抽出时间开展啤酒装罐业务,即便双方可以展开合作,装罐啤酒也会进一步削减啤酒企业的利润。

而即将出现的易拉罐短缺问题或许更为令人担心。全球最大的铝罐制造商——BallCorp.公司上月告诉投资者,北美易拉罐的年需求量已经从80亿增长至100亿,而该公司目前正在设法跟上这种需求的增长。

沃森表示:"易拉罐短缺降低了部分啤酒企业调整业务的能力。有些企业在重新套印出现错印的易拉罐,有些则在考虑销售瓶装啤酒,不过市场上没有那么多提供装瓶服务的公司……现在真没有什么好的解决办法。除非可以提升装罐能力,否则这个问题无法解决。”

虽然许多啤酒企业的直销销量大幅增长,但其扩大分销渠道、补充收入来源的努力尚未取得太大进展。而与啤酒经销商合作往往意味着长远的影响,因此也不会一蹴而就。不过也有啤酒企业正在通过与啤酒运输服务公司Tavour合作来绕开这一障碍。

今年到目前为止,已经有90家啤酒企业与Tavour建立了合作关系,而啤酒爱好者们也用自己的方式做出了回应——自3月以来,该公司的业务已经增长了两倍之多。

WeldWerks的联合创始人兼首席酿酒师尼尔•费舍尔说:“对许多产能过剩的啤酒企业而言,Tavour一直是它们最棒的合作伙伴。”WeldWerks是一家位于科罗拉多州格里利的酿酒公司。

自3月以来,该公司的销售额持续增长,员工人数也增加了33%,可以说是本次疫情中的幸运儿之一。

费舍尔表示:"我们非常幸运,绝对属于少数派。我们恰好拥有许多合适的商业模式,能够迅速做出调整,适应新的市场环境。因为公司规模不大,所以不需要提前18个月对业务进行预测和规划,也就不会有太多静态摩擦,不过我们又不算太小,所以也可以拥有自营装罐生产线这样的资产,还能够拿到需要的易拉罐。”

不过,Weldwerks确实属于个案。据啤酒研究会(Beer Institute)、啤酒协会、全美啤酒批发商协会(National Beer Wholesalers Association)和美国饮料批发商协会(American Beverage Licensees)的联合研究估计,受疫情影响,美国的啤酒零售额将下降220多亿美元,并且在今年年底前啤酒行业将失去超过651000个与之相关的工作岗位。

据得克萨斯州工艺酿酒商协会(Texas Craft Brewers Guild.)的一项调查显示,得克萨斯州多达三分之二的地方性精酿啤酒企业可能被迫在2021年年底永久关闭。

迪尔巴说:“对很多啤酒企业而言,眼下正是生死存亡之秋,是它们正真需要帮助的时候。”(财富中文网)

译者:梁宇

审校:夏林

在新冠疫情爆发前,精酿啤酒行业呈爆发式增长的好日子便已经划上句号,不过小型独立酿酒企业的数量仍然在逐年增加,而且当时没有任何迹象显示这种趋势将会出现重大调整。然而,待到春季,小型酿酒企业过多的情况可能会造成毁灭性后果。

啤酒协会(Brewers Association)的首席经济学家巴特•沃森表示,在居家办公期间,虽然有很多人会通过Zoom与亲友同事聚会玩乐,白天畅饮也是常事,但今年迄今为止,啤酒销售总额并未出现太大变化,加上酒吧大门紧锁、餐馆鲜啤销售陷于停滞,为了“活下去”,小型啤酒企业不得不调整自己的商业模式。

许多啤酒企业提升了外带啤酒的产能,也有少数企业已经能够为客户提供送货上门服务,不过黑云压城之际,市场需求下跌或许只是时间问题。

沃森说:"新冠疫情冲击小型酿酒企业时恰逢一年之中的销售旺季,酿酒企业要靠这段时间赚的钱来撑过淡季,现在这些企业可能还撑得下去,不过还得看冬季的情况……碰到这种事,企业肯定会出现现金储备减少、财务受损的问题,因此我认为,未来6到12个月,酿酒企业的倒闭率可能会上升。”

Ale Asylum位于麦迪逊,其联合创始人奥托•迪尔巴称,虽然公司自营啤酒餐厅的露台很大,重新开放后生意也很不错,而且公司推出的“Fvck Covid”啤酒备受追捧,一经推出便迅速售罄,但今年到目前为止,公司的业务仍然下降了40%之多。

为了降低病毒传播的几率,Ale Asylum的室内餐厅目前仍然处于关闭状态。而随着冬季的到来,重启室内餐厅更加无望。这就带来了另一个问题。

迪尔巴说:“由于我们同时也生产啤酒,如果要隔离14天,我们的生意就完了。”

Ale Asylum现在的业务亮点无疑是Fvck Covid,这种比尔森啤酒(和Fvck Covid 2.0朦胧IPA)不仅在该公司的自营餐厅及威斯康星州、伊利诺伊州等传统市场广受欢迎,还在另外12个州赢得了市场的欢心。该公司随后还将推出Apocalypse Bingo系列啤酒与Fvck Covid一同销售,Murder Hornet Pale Ale将作为该系列的首款产品率先上市。

虽然多数啤酒企业已经用罐装啤酒取代了生啤和酒吧业务,但对没有自营装罐生产线的小型啤酒企业而言,这无疑是一个新的挑战。移动罐装企业近来业务非常繁忙,很难抽出时间开展啤酒装罐业务,即便双方可以展开合作,装罐啤酒也会进一步削减啤酒企业的利润。

而即将出现的易拉罐短缺问题或许更为令人担心。全球最大的铝罐制造商——BallCorp.公司上月告诉投资者,北美易拉罐的年需求量已经从80亿增长至100亿,而该公司目前正在设法跟上这种需求的增长。

沃森表示:"易拉罐短缺降低了部分啤酒企业调整业务的能力。有些企业在重新套印出现错印的易拉罐,有些则在考虑销售瓶装啤酒,不过市场上没有那么多提供装瓶服务的公司……现在真没有什么好的解决办法。除非可以提升装罐能力,否则这个问题无法解决。”

虽然许多啤酒企业的直销销量大幅增长,但其扩大分销渠道、补充收入来源的努力尚未取得太大进展。而与啤酒经销商合作往往意味着长远的影响,因此也不会一蹴而就。不过也有啤酒企业正在通过与啤酒运输服务公司Tavour合作来绕开这一障碍。

今年到目前为止,已经有90家啤酒企业与Tavour建立了合作关系,而啤酒爱好者们也用自己的方式做出了回应——自3月以来,该公司的业务已经增长了两倍之多。

WeldWerks的联合创始人兼首席酿酒师尼尔•费舍尔说:“对许多产能过剩的啤酒企业而言,Tavour一直是它们最棒的合作伙伴。”WeldWerks是一家位于科罗拉多州格里利的酿酒公司。

自3月以来,该公司的销售额持续增长,员工人数也增加了33%,可以说是本次疫情中的幸运儿之一。

费舍尔表示:"我们非常幸运,绝对属于少数派。我们恰好拥有许多合适的商业模式,能够迅速做出调整,适应新的市场环境。因为公司规模不大,所以不需要提前18个月对业务进行预测和规划,也就不会有太多静态摩擦,不过我们又不算太小,所以也可以拥有自营装罐生产线这样的资产,还能够拿到需要的易拉罐。”

不过,Weldwerks确实属于个案。据啤酒研究会(Beer Institute)、啤酒协会、全美啤酒批发商协会(National Beer Wholesalers Association)和美国饮料批发商协会(American Beverage Licensees)的联合研究估计,受疫情影响,美国的啤酒零售额将下降220多亿美元,并且在今年年底前啤酒行业将失去超过651000个与之相关的工作岗位。

据得克萨斯州工艺酿酒商协会(Texas Craft Brewers Guild.)的一项调查显示,得克萨斯州多达三分之二的地方性精酿啤酒企业可能被迫在2021年年底永久关闭。

迪尔巴说:“对很多啤酒企业而言,眼下正是生死存亡之秋,是它们正真需要帮助的时候。”(财富中文网)

译者:梁宇

审校:夏林

While the days of explosive growth were already behind the craft beer industry when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, small independent brewers were still increasing their numbers each year—and there was no sign that any major reversal was on the way. Yet by spring, the numbers could be devastating.

Despite those many Zoom happy hours and tales of day drinking as you work from home, total beer sales haven’t changed much year to date, says Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association. And small breweries have had to pivot their business models to stay in business, as taprooms shut down, and restaurant draft business dried up.

Many have increased their production capacity to sell to-go beer. A limited number have been able to do direct shipping to customers. The looming cloud on the horizon, though, is that demand is about to dip.

“COVID really hit during the best period of the year for small brewer sales,” says Watson. “This is the time brewers make money to survive the lean times. That might be enough to get them through now, but we’re going to see what the winter brings…An event like this has to be drawing down the cash reserves and causing financial harm, so I do think there’s the potential we’ll see an elevated closure rate over the next six to 12 months.”

At Ale Asylum in Madison, business is down 40% so far this year, says cofounder Otto Dilba. That’s despite the brewery-restaurant having a large patio, which has reopened, a bustling pickup business, and the launch of a wildly successful beer—aptly named “Fvck Covid” —which sells out as soon as they can put it on sale.

The inside dining room at Ale Asylum has stayed shut so far to decrease the chances of the virus spreading. As winter hits, though, that might not be an option. And that presents another problem.

“We’re also a production facility,” he says. “If we had to quarantine for two weeks, our business would go under.”

Fvck Covid has proven to be a bright spot for Ale Asylum. The pilsner (and Fvck Covid 2.0 hazy IPA) has been in high demand not only at the brewery and through Wisconsin and Illinois, the usual distribution range for the brewery, but also in 12 other states as well. Up next is a line of beers called Apocalypse Bingo, which will be sold alongside Fvck Covid. The first beer will be called Murder Hornet Pale Ale.

While most breweries have replaced draft and taproom sales with canned products, that has been more challenging for smaller brewers who don’t have their own canning line. Mobile canning companies have been in high demand, meaning it’s harder to slot time to get the beer into cans—and the cost of working with those services cuts into margins.

Perhaps more concerning, a can shortage is looming. Ball Corp., the world’s largest manufacturer of cans, told investors last month that can demand in North America is growing at a pace of 8 billion to 10 billion cans a year, and it's struggling to keep up.

“That reduces the ability of some brewers to pivot,” says Watson. “Some are re-sleeving misprinted cans. Some people are considering bottling, but there’s not as much mobile bottling options…There really isn’t a great option. This isn’t a problem that’s going to be solved until more canning capacity comes online.”

While many breweries are seeing a surge in direct sales, their efforts to supplement income via wider distribution aren’t progressing as quickly. Partnering with a beer distributor isn’t something that’s normally done quickly since it can have long-term repercussions. But some brewers are sidestepping that hurdle by partnering with Tavour, a beer shipping service.

So far this year, 90 new brewers have partnered with Tavour. And beer lovers have responded. The company’s business has tripled since March.

“They’ve been a great partner for a lot of breweries that did have excess capacity,” says Neil Fisher, cofounder and head brewer at WeldWerks Brewing Co. in Greeley, Colo.

WeldWerks has been one of the fortunate breweries in the pandemic, seeing sales increase and actually increasing its staff by 33% since March.

“We’re definitely in the minority,” says Fisher. “We’ve been very, very fortunate. We just have a lot of the right business model and the ability to adapt very quickly. We’re not so big that we have so much static friction based on long-term forecasts and plans made 18 months in advance…but we’re big enough to have commodities like our own canning line and access to cans.”

WeldWerks is the exception, though. A joint study by the Beer Institute, the Brewers Association, the National Beer Wholesalers Association, and the American Beverage Licensees estimates retail beer sales will drop by more than $22 billion due to the pandemic. And more than 651,000 jobs supported by the U.S. beer industry will be lost by the end of the year because of COVID-19.

In Texas, as many as two-thirds of local craft breweries could be forced to permanently close by the end of 2021, according to a survey from the Texas Craft Brewers Guild.

“This is do-or-die time for a lot of us,” says Dilba. “Right now, your local brewery needs you more than ever.”

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