Maybe you’ve just been dreaming about it, or maybe you have taken the leap and started your own brewery business. Odds are you have the passion and dedication it takes to succeed in the competitive world of craft brewing, but it also takes a lot of business and operational know-how to create a truly sustainable brand.
According to Wilton Jordan of Asheville NC, Here are four of our best tips for growing your fledgling brewery business into a craft success.
- Learn the brewery business inside and out
Knowing your market and what customers want is crucial for any business, but it’s especially important in the beverage manufacturing industry, where trends and tastes evolve rapidly.
For those new to the brewing industry, a comprehensive training program in the business of craft brewing might be in order before going further. Those with more experience need to stay up on the latest sales and customer insights, whether through your own marketing research or trade publications. The learning never stops as an entrepreneur!
- Refine your concept
Knowing your market on a deeper level will help you find where your brewery business fits in the competitive landscape. What will you be known for? Perhaps your brewery will:
- Specialize in a certain kind of beer.
- Sell in stores or only on premises.
- Offer a family-friendly atmosphere in your taproom.
- Also serve great food. (highly recommend)
Find your niche and go all in, from your logo and packaging to your merchandise. Growing your business means growing your brand and attracting loyal customers.
- Build your team
A lot of brewers get their start at home, tinkering with recipes and developing their concept in their spare time. But, when it comes to the brewing business, it takes a village to build a successful brand. From ingredient and food suppliers to distributors, your business is only as good as the relationships you build.
Make it your mission to know your partners on a deeper level and explore the possibility of unique partnerships or consolidating services to save money.
- Focus on your strengths.
All too often breweries choose their flagship beers at random. Brewing beers that are not received well by the public again and again. Flagship beers represent the way your brand is perceived and how you are perceived by the public. Untappd is a popular rating app used by many customers to judge how good a beer is and is often used by prospective customers to see what they should be drinking. The scale of how customers rate these beers varies depending on the style. Your flagship hazy IPA should be no lower than a four, while a decent lager may get a 3.7 and still be a great beer.
- Make safety a key
Sure, it’s a cliché, but it’s also true: An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. Practicing good risk management within your operations can help you avoid big expenses and lost time. This is especially important in the brewing industry, where the competition is tough and the margins tight. If you want to be around for the long haul, you need to make sure you’re avoiding issues that will take your eyes off management and growth.
- Don’t be afraid to pour out beer
The best brewers will never purposely release beers below their standards. The majority, 60% of customers, will stop patronizing a business after a bad customer experience and as a brewery the worst thing you can do is serve a customer a bad beer. All too often breweries will release bad beer under the pretense that pouring it out is too much lost revenue, this is bad business and causes beer drinkers to lose respect for you that can be very hard to gain back. Listen to customer feedback, drinkers have many choices in 2022 and when your six dollar draft is worse than a three dollar macro beer it reflects poorly. The quality of ales and lagers served translates not only to punters, but also staff. The last thing you want as a brewery is for your employees to have to lie about how good a beer is or for them to lose respect for your beer. Brewery staff should take pride in the beer they serve.
If you still have any concern or wish to contact him about how you can grow your brewery or retail program you can visit here on his official website WiltonJordan.com to learn more.