The Craft Beverage World, Sailing Similar Seas

Get established, improve your establishment, continue establishing...this is the business of craft beverage distribution. The first Craft Beverage Distribution Conference & Trade Show held at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky offered a glimpse of what the industry is facing and how to handle what the future may behold.

Old hat for some, BSG CraftBrewing's Les Ferguson says, "It's a way to connect with our accounts, putting faces with names. And, of course, maybe generate some new clients." For more established businesses in the craft beverage arena similar to the ingredient supplier, it is the official meshing of voices to invoices. Then there are those who are relatively new and looking to get more established or broaden their reach.

PakTech can holders

In Ohio recently there has been talk of creating partnerships to get craft beer consumers to return the plastic PakTech can holders to brewers for reuse in an effort to cut costs and avoid having them go straight to a landfill. Despite being 100% recyclable, they can't be placed in general co-mingled curbside recycling. Separating them is the key, but few places take the time to do such things. PakTech has even requested them back in order to use them again and lessen the negative impact on the environment.

The Roberts PolyPro

can holder

In an effort to add more life to this packaging conundrum, Roberts PolyPro of Charlotte, North Carolina has developed a similar product which is lighter on the craft brewer's wallet, "They are easier to remove and can be reused more often," says Director of Sales Chris Turner. Readily available are a manual applicator (sells for $500) as well as semi-automatic and automatic machines. Turner says they are working on developing models which allow for a beverage company to insert their logo/name label to further a brewer's marketing efforts.

Looking to push their current reach are companies like North Canton, Ohio based GBS Corp. A label & promotion products producer, Zach Schlimm says the challenge is, "...to keep up with the trends as things move more toward an environmentally friendly product." Motioning towards a corner of the trade show floor, the company's Craft Beer Segment Co-Director continues, "...they are offering plastic growlers now and paper straws being introduced. We can do those things and get clients what they want, we just have to be open to what trends companies are moving towards." Standing among a variety of products for clients like Paradigm Shift Craft Brewery of Massillon, Ohio and the recently opened Lock 15 Brewing in Akron, the company would like to develop business beyond Ohio's borders while still focusing on the small, centralized craft breweries.

With over 80 exhibitors, the craft beverage industry was well represented by producers, makers and retailers of flavorings, hose & accessories, keg racks, welding & gas, container systems, chemical & supply, cooperage, canning, packaging and bottling. And not to mention insurance and law firms to handle the paper work and legal side of the business.

Seated at a table with the Founders of Scratch Distillery of Edmonds, Washington, Bryan & Kimberly Karrick, and listening to a panel discussion on sales, marketing & PR for distribution showed how connected the industry is, yet different depending on location, business size and local legislation. Similar panel talks on how to handle changes in distributor partnerships and Do the 4 Ps still matter? (product, price, promotion and place) indicated the ripple effects small blips in the process can have both a positive and negative impact.

Three days of exhibitors pushing products, systems and innovations and a conference connecting breweries, distilleries and wineries with the purpose of crafting a whole new craft beverage industry. There's never been a better time to drink it all in - it seems as though the future will continue to pour.