Market analyst Stephen Jannise is conducting a survey to find out what beer fans do when their favorite microbrew is sold out at their local watering hole.
It’s no secret that most bars stay well-stocked with the popular macrobrews. As Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors acquire and merge their way to an oligopoly, their low-cost, mass-produced beer will continue to dominate the average bar’s inventory list. Meanwhile, microbrews fight for shelf space because they draw less attention and often cost more money. There’s a reason you pay more for microbrews than Miller Lites: retailers and distributors pay more for them, too.
Because of these high costs, retailers can’t afford to keep large stocks of microbrews coming in at all times. Instead, they usually wait for regularly scheduled deliveries. In the same way that retailers like Best Buy get new DVD shipments every Tuesday, your local bar may receive new arrivals every Friday.
But beers are not Blu-rays. Is this the best way for a bar to do business? In this article, we take a look at the traditional model for beer distribution, which can leave you with the unfortunate choice between going with a macrobrew or just going without. What do you usually do in this situation?
In addition to the survey, Stephen delves into the three-tier distribution system that we’ve been saddled with since Prohibition. And, of course, some software solutions to solve this problem. But, still, if I can help my bar ensure that it has the beer I like when I want it, it’s worth a few minutes.
