Have you taken a walk down the beer aisle recently? It’s pretty incredible to see just how much choice the beer consumer has. From lagers to lambics, and porters to pilsners, it’s safe to say, there’s something for every beer consumer.
For those of us who have been legal beer consumers for a couple of decades (or longer), we’ve watched the beer aisle change significantly. It wasn’t too long ago that the beer aisle looked like the soft drink aisle – a sea of red labels and blue labels, with a diet variety mixed in. But the beer aisle has been exploding, adding new flavors and innovative styles. Entrepreneurial brewers are clamoring for shelf space — and for the consumer’s attention.
How are those new labels able to get on store shelves? And how are they able to compete against established multinational brands?
It’s because of the American system of independent alcohol distribution.
As part of that system, America’s 3,300 independent beer distributors – and their 130,000 employees – work with brewers of all sizes to provide the infrastructure they need to get their products to market and reach a wide network of retailers. An independent beer distribution system helps small and emerging brewers gain access to new markets that otherwise would be cost prohibitive. And it ensures that the largest brewers do not monopolize the market and prevent smaller competitors from getting on store shelves and bar taps. From Alaska to Florida, from California to Maine, brewers, distributors and retailers all work together to introduce new beer brands and labels of beer for consumers to enjoy.
Because of this system, new, start-up breweries are opening every day from coast to coast – just about one brewery is opening every day. Craft brewers are enjoying exponential growth, as American craft beer production increased 18 percent during the first half of 2014. What other industry has seen such impressive numbers recently? This remarkable growth has been supported by distributors who invest in new brands, work hard to get them to market and take pride in helping them get to consumers and helping them grow.
Ultimately, the winner is the American consumer. There is no other country in the world with so much selection. More than 13,000 labels of beer (and counting) – small regional craft brews, large multinational labels and imports from around the world – are available in the U.S. today. According to the Nielsen Company, there is more choice in alcohol than any other consumer good.
There’s no better day to celebrate this excitement than December 5 – the date that marks the anniversary of the 21st Amendment. It’s best known for ending Prohibition and allowing alcohol to flow once again after a 13 year dry spell. But the 21st Amendment also gave states primary authority over alcohol and set up the American system of independent alcohol distribution that, 81 years later, is delivering economic, commercial and regulatory value for all: brewers andimporters, distributors, retailers, and consumers.
So as we mark the December 5th anniversary, I encourage you to take a stroll down your local beer aisle. Find a beer you have never tried. And make a toast to the 21st Amendment and the American beer industry. I think you’ll agree, it’s a good reason to raise a glass.