Use the Micro Brew Industry case 5 below format for case analyses in strategic management.

Problem/opportunity statement and situation analysis - in this instance, what are common problems affecting most competitors? Solution statement - Alternatives, their evaluation, and justification for selected solution - again, what general recommendations would you offer a competitor in this industry? What should a firm do to improve its competitive position It may be helpful to assume the role of consultant. Financial analysis - the final sentence should include an assessment of the organization's financial health and the apparent trajectory of its financial situation. For an industry analysis, it would be helpful to consider some of the average financial ratios, the industry structure, the 5 Forces of Competition analysis, and determine the potential profitability for a typical firm in this industry.

Micro Brew Industry

CASE 05

Competition in the Craft Beer Industry in 2016

John D. Varlaro

Johnson & Wales University

John E. Gamble

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

The appeal of locally produced or regional craft beers during the early 2010s gave a dramatic boost to the long-mature beer industry. Craft breweries, which by definition sold fewer than 6 million barrels (bbls) per year, expanded rapidly with the deregulation of intrastate alcohol distribution and retail laws and a change in consumer preferences toward unique and high-quality beers. The growing popularity of craft beers allowed the total beer industry in the United States to increase by 6.7 percent annually between 2011 and 2016 to reach $39.5 billion. The production of U.S. craft breweries more than doubled from 11.5 million bbls per year to about 24.5 million bbls per year during that time. In addition, production by microbreweries, which produced less than 15,000 bbls per year, almost tripled to 4 million bbls from 1.5 million bbls between 2011 and 2016.¹ Much of this impressive industry growth came at the expense of such well-known brands as Budweiser, Miller, Coors, and Bud Light, which experienced sluggish sales during the early 2010s because of a growing perception of mediocre taste.

Boston Beer Company, the second largest craft brewery in the United States and known for its Samuel Adams brand, reported a 4 percent increase over 2014 shipments of 4.2 million barrels in 2015.² By comparison, the annual revenues of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, whose portfolio included global brands Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois and numerous international and local brands, declined during the same two-year period. However, the sales volume of Anheuser-Busch's flagship brands and its newly acquired and international brands such as Corona, Goose Island, Shock Top, Beck's, and St. Pauli Girl allowed it to control 45.8 percent of the U.S. market for beer in 2016.³

At the beginning of the second half of the 2010s, industry competition was increasing as grain price fluctuations affected cost structures and growing consolidation within the beer industryled most notably by AB InBev's acquisition of several craft breweries, Grupo Modelo, and its pending $104 billion acquisition of SABMillercreated a battle for market share. The market for specialty beer was expected to gradually plateau by 2020 with annual industry growth slowing to 0.9 percent annually. Nevertheless, craft breweries and microbreweries were expected to expand in number and in terms of market share as consumers sought out new pale ales, stouts, wheat beers, pilsners, and lagers with regional or local flairs.

The Beer Market

The total economic impact of the beer market was estimated to be 1.5 percent of the total U.S. GDP in 2015 when variables such as jobs within beer production, sales, and distribution were included.⁴Exhibit 1 presents annual beer production statistics for the United States between 2006 and 2015.

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EXHIBIT 1Barrels of Beer Produced in the United States, 2006-2015 (in millions)

Year		Barrels Produced (in millions)*
2006		198
2007		200
2008		200
2009		197
2010		195
2011		193
2012		196
2013		192
2014		193
2015		191

*Rounded to the nearest million.

Source: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website.

Copyright 2017 by John D. Varlaro and John E. Gamble. All rights reserved.

Although U.S. production had declined since 2008, consumption was increasing elsewhere in the world, resulting in a forecasted global market of almost $700 billion in sales by 2020.⁵ Global growth seemed to be fueled by the introduction of differing styles of beer to regions where consumers had not previously had access and the expansion of demographics not normally known for consuming beer. Thus, exported beer to both developed and developing regions helped drive future growth. As an example, China recently saw a number of domestic craft breweries producing beer as well as experimenting with locally and regionally known flavors, enticing the domestic palette with flavors such as green tea.⁶

The Brewers Association, a trade association for brewers, suppliers, and others within the industry, designated a brewery as a craft brewer when output was less than 6 million barrels annually and the ownership was more than 75 percent independent of another non-craft beer producer or entity. The rapid increase in popularity for local beers allowed the number of U.S. brewers to increase from 3,000 in 2014 to 4,000 in 2015. Of these breweries, 99 percent were identified as craft breweries with distribution ranging from local to national. While large global breweries occupied the top four positions among the largest U.S. breweries, five craft breweries were ranked among the top-10 largest U.S. brewers in 2015seeExhibit 2.Exhibit 3 presents the 10 largest beer producers worldwide in 2014. The number of craft breweries in each U.S. state are presented inExhibit 4.

EXHIBIT 2Top 10 U.S. Breweries in 2014

Rank		Brewery
1		Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
2		MillerCoors
3		Pabst Brewing Co.
4		D.G. Yuengling and Son, Inc.
5		Boston Beer Co.
6		North American Breweries
7		Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
8		New Belgium Brewing Co.
9		Craft Brewing Alliance
10		Lagunitas Brewing Co.

Source: Brewers Association.

EXHIBIT 3Top 10 Global Beer Producers by Volume in 2014

Rank	Producer	Volume (millions of Barrels)*
1	AB InBev	351
2	SABMiller	249
3	Heineken	180
4	Carlsberg	110
5	Tsingtao (Group)	78
6	Molson Coors Brewing Company	54
7	Beijing Yanjing	45
8	Kirin	36
9	Castel BGI	26
10	Asahi	26

*Not in original report. Computed using 1 hL = .852 barrel for comparison; to nearest million bbl.

Source: AB InBev 2016 20-F SEC Document.

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EXHIBIT 4Number of Craft Brewers by State, 2015

State	Brewers
Alabama	24
Alaska	27
Arizona	78
Arkansas	26
California	518
Colorado	284
Connecticut	35
Delaware	15
Florida	151
Georgia	45
Hawaii	13
Idaho	50
Illinois	157
Indiana	115
Iowa	58
Kansas	26
Kentucky	24
Louisiana	20
Maine	59
Maryland	60
Massachusetts	84
Michigan	205
Minnesota	105
Mississippi	8
Missouri	71
Montana	49
Nebraska	33
Nevada	34
New Hampshire	44
New Jersey	51
New Mexico	45
New York	208
North Carolina	161
North Dakota	9
Ohio	143
Oklahoma	14
Oregon	228
Pennsylvania	178
Rhode Island	14
South Carolina	36
South Dakota	14
Tennessee	52
Texas	189
Utah	22
Vermont	44
Virginia	124
Washington	305
West Virginia	12
Wisconsin	121
Wyoming	23

Source: Brewers Association.

The Beer Production Process

The beer production process involves the fermentation of grains. The cereal grain barley is the most common grain used in the production of beer. Before fermentation, however, barley must be malted and milled. Malting allows the barley to germinate and produce the sugars that would be fermented by the yeast, yielding the sweetness of beer. By soaking the barley in water, the barley germinates, or grows, as it would when planted in the ground. This process is halted through the introduction of hot air and drying after germination began.

After malting, the barley is milled to break open the husk while also cracking the inner seed that has begun to germinate. Once milled, the barley is mashed, or added to hot water. The addition of the hot water produces sugar from the grain. This mixture is then filtered, resulting in the wort. The wort is then boiled, which sterilizes the beer. It is at this stage that hops are added. The taste and aroma of beer depends on the variety of hops and when the hops were added.

After boiling, the wort is cooled and then poured into the fermentor where yeast is added. The sugar created in the previous stages is broken down by the yeast through fermentation. The different styles of beer depend on the type of yeast used, typically either an ale or lager yeast. The time for this process could take a couple of weeks to a couple of months. After fermentation, the yeast is removed. The process is completed after carbon dioxide is added and the product is packaged.

Beer is a varied and differentiated product, with over 70 styles in 15 categories. Each style is dependent on a number of variables. These variables are controlled by the brewer through the process, and could include the origin of raw materials, approach to fermentation, and yeast used. For example, Guinness referenced on its website how barley purchased by the brewer was not only grown locally, but was also toasted specifically after malting, lending to its characteristic taste and color.⁷ As another example of differentiation through raw materials, wheat beers, such as German-style hefeweizen, are brewed with a minimum of 50 percent wheat instead of barley grain.

Development of Microbreweries and Economies of ScaleAlthough learning the art of brewing takes time, beer production lends itself to scalability and variety. For example, an amateuror home brewercould brew beer for home consumption. There had been a significant increase in the interest in home brewing, with over 1 million people pursuing the hobby in 2016.⁸ It was also not uncommon for a home brewer to venture into entrepreneurship and begin brewing for commercial sales. However, the beer production was highly labor intensive with much of the work was done by hand. A certain level of production volume was necessary to achieve breakeven and make the microbrewery a successful commercial operation.

A small nanobrewery may brew a variety of flavor experiences and compete in niche markets, while the macrobrewery may focus on economies of scale and mass produce one style of beer. Both may attract consumers across segments, and were attributed to the easily scalable yet highly variable process of brewing beer. In contrast, a global producer such as AB InBev could produce beer for millions of consumers worldwide with factory-automated processes.

Legal Environment of BreweriesAs beer was an alcoholic beverage, the industry was subject to much regulation. Further, these regulations could vary by state and municipality. One such regulation was regarding sales and distribution.

Distribution could be distinguished through direct sales (or self-distribution), and two-tier and page C-50three-tier systems. Regulations permitting direct sales allow the brewery to sell directly to the consumer. Growlers, bottle sales, as well as tap rooms were all forms of direct, or retail, sales. There were usually requirements concerning direct sales, including limitations on volume sold to the consumer.

Even where self-distribution was legal, the legal volumes could be very small and limited. Very few brewers were exempt from distributing through wholesalers, referred to as a three-tier distribution system. And often to be operationally viable, brewers need access to this distribution system to generate revenue. In a three-tier system, the brewery must first sell to a wholesalerthe liquor or beer distributor. This distributor then sells to the retailer, who then ultimately sells to the consumer.

This distribution structure, however, had ramifications for the consumer, as much of what was available at retail outlets and restaurants was impacted by the distributor. This was further impacted by whether a brewery bottles or cans its beer, or distributes through kegs. While restaurants and bars could carry kegs, retail shelves at a local liquor store needed to have cans and bottles, as a relatively small number of consumers could accommodate kegs for home use. Thus, there may only be a few liquor stores or restaurants where a consumer may find a locally brewed beer. In states that do not allow self-distribution or on-premise sales, distribution and exposure to consumers could represent a barrier for breweries, especially those that were small or new.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) was the main federal agency for regulating this industry. As another example of regulations, breweries were required to have labels for beers approved by the federal government, ensuring they meet advertising guidelines. In some instances, the TTB may need to approve the formula used for brewing the specific beer prior to the label receiving approval. Given the approval process, and the growth of craft breweries, the length of time this takes could reach several months. For a small microbrewery first starting, the delay in sales could potentially impact cash flow.

Employment law was another area impacting breweries. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) greatly affected labor cost in the industry. Where the ACA mandated health care coverage by employers, the FLSA changed overtime rules for employees previously classified as exempt or salaried. Finally, many states and municipalities passed or were considering passing increases to minimum wage. These changes in regulations could lead to significant increases in business costs, potentially impacting a brewery's ability to remain viable or competitive.

Lawsuits might also impact breweries' operations. Trademark infringement lawsuits regarding brewery and beer names were common. Further, food-related lawsuits could occur. In 2016, there were potential lawsuits against breweries distributing in California that did not meet the May 2016 requirement of providing an additional sign warning against pregnancy and BPA (Bisphenyl-A) consumption. BPA was commonly found in both cans and bottle caps, and thus breweries were potentially legally exposed, exemplifying the potential legal exposure to any brewery.

Suppliers to Breweries

One of the main suppliers to the industry were those who supply grain and hops. Growers might sell direct to breweries, or distribute through wholesalers. Brewers who wish to produce a grain-specific beer would be required to procure the specific grain. Further, recipes might call for a variety of grains, including rye, wheat, and corn. As previously mentioned, the definition of craft was changed not only to include a higher threshold for annual production, but it also was changed to not exclude producers who used other grains, such as corn, in their production. Finally, origin-specific beers, such as German- or Belgian-styles, might also require specific grains.

The more specialized the grain or hop, the more difficult it was to obtain. Those breweries, then, competing based on specialized brewing were required to identify such suppliers. Conversely, larger, global producers of single-style beers were able to utilize economies of scale and demand lower prices from suppliers. Organically grown grains and hops suppliers would also fall into this category of providing specialized ingredients, and specialty brewers tend to use such ingredients.

Exhibit 5 illustrates the amount of grain products used between 2010 and 2014 in the United States by breweries.

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EXHIBIT 5Total Grain Usage in the Production of Beer, 2010-2014 (in millions of pounds)

Grain*	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Corn	701	629	681	593	574
Rice	714	749	717	724	604
Barley	88	128	136	158	169
Wheat	22	24	26	30	33
Malt	4,147	4,028	4,117	3,916	3,689

*Includes products derived from the type of grain for brewing process.

Source: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau website.

It was estimated that hops acreage within the United States grew more than 16 percent from 2014 to 2015,⁹ which seems to follow the growing demand due to the increased number of breweries. Hops were primarily grown in the Pacific Northwest states of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Washington's Yakima Valley was probably one of the more recognizable geographic-growing regions. There were numerous varieties of hops, however, and each contributes a different aroma and flavor profile. Hop growers have also trademarked names and varieties of hops. Further, as with grains, some beer styles require specific hops. Farmlands that were formerly known for hops have started to see a rejuvenation of this crop, such as in New England. In other areas, farmers were introducing hops as a new cash crop. Some hops farms were also dual purpose, combining the growing operations with brewing, thus serving as both a supplier of hops to breweries while also producing their own beer for retail. Recent news reports, however, were citing current and future shortages of hops due to the increased number of breweries. Rising temperatures in Europe led to a diminished yield in 2015, further impacting hops supplies. For breweries using recipes that require these specific hops, shortages could be detrimental to production.

Suppliers to the industry also include manufacturers and distributors of brewing equipment, such as fermentation tanks and refrigeration equipment. Purification equipment and testing tools were also necessary, given the brewing process and the need to ensure purity and safety of the product.

Depending on distribution and the distribution channel, breweries might need bottling or canning equipment. Thus breweries might invest heavily in automated bottling capabilities to expand capacity. Recently, however, there have been shortages in the 16-oz. size of aluminum cans.

How Breweries Compete: Innovation and Quality versus Price

The consumer might seek-out a specific beer or brewery's name, or purchase the lower-priced globally known brand. For some, beer drinking might also be seasonal, as tastes change with the seasons. Lighter beers were consumed in hotter months, while heavier beers were consumed in the colder months. Consumers might associate beer styles with the time of year or season. Oktoberfest and German-style beers were associated with fall, following the German-traditional celebration of Oktoberfest. Finally, any one consumer might enjoy several styles, or choose to be brewery or brand loyal.

The brewing process and the multiple varieties and styles of beer allow for breweries to compete across the strategy spectrumlow price and high volume, or higher price and low volume. Industry competitors, then, might target both price point and differentiation. The home brewer, who decides to invest a couple thousand dollars in a small space to produce very small quantities of beer and start a nanobrewery, might utilize a niche competitive strategy. The consumer might patronize the brewery on location, or seek it out on tap at a restaurant given the quality and the style of beer brewed. If allowed by law, the brewery might offer tastings or sell on-site to visitors. Further, the nanobrewer was free to explore and experiment with unusual flavors. To drive awareness, the brewer might enter competitions, attend beer festivals, or host tastings and "tap takeovers" at local restaurants. If successful, the brewer might invest in larger facilities and equipment to increase capacity with growing demand.

The larger, more established craft brewers, especially those considered regional breweries, might compete through marketing and distribution, while offering a higher value compared to the mass production of macrobreweries. However, the consumer might at times be sensitive to and desire the craft beer experience through smaller breweriesso much so that even craft breweries who by definition page C-52were craft might draw the ire of the consumer due to its size and scope. Boston Beer Company was one such company. Even though James Koch started it as a microbrewery, pioneering the craft beer movement in the 1980s, some craft beer consumers do not view it as authentically craft.

Larger macrobreweries mass produce and compete using economies of scale and established distribution systems. Thus, low cost preserves margins as lower price points drive volume sales. Many of these brands were sold en masse at sporting and entertainment venues, as well as larger restaurant chains, driving volume sales.

Companies like SABMiller and AB InBev possess brands within their portfolio that were sold under the perception of craft beer, in what Boston Beer Company deems the better beer categorybeer with a higher price point, but also of higher quality. For example, Blue Moona Belgian-style wheat alewas produced by MillerCoors. Blue Moon's market share had increased significantly since 2006 following the rise in craft beer popularity, competing against Boston Beer Company's Sam Adams in this better beer segment. AB InBev had also recently acquired the larger better-known craft breweries, including Goose Island, in 2011. With a product portfolio that includes both low-price and premium craft beer brands, macrobreweries were competing across the spectrum and putting pressure on breweries within the better and craft beer segmentssegments demanding a higher price point due to production.

However, a recent lawsuit claimed the marketing of Blue Moon was misleading and its marketing obscured the ownership structure. Although the case was dismissed, it further illustrates consumer sentiment regarding what was perceived as craft beer. It also illustrates the power of marketing and how a macrobrewery might position a brand within these segments.

Consolidations and Acquisitions

In 2015 AB InBev offered to purchase SABMiller for $108 billion, which was recently approved by the European Union in May 2016. To allow for the acquisition, many of SABMiller's brands needed to be sold. Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. will be purchasing the European brands Peroni and Grolsch from SABMiller. Molson Coors will also be purchasing SABMiller's 58 percent ownership in MillerCoors LLCoriginally a joint venture between Molson Coors and SABMiller. This will now leave Molson Coors with 100 percent ownership of MillerCoors. It should be noted that AB InBev and MillerCoors represent over 80 percent of the beer produced in the United States for domestic consumption.

Purchases of craft breweries by larger companies had also increased during the 2010s. AB InBev had purchased eight craft breweries since 2011, including Goose Island, Blue Point, and Devil's Backbone Brewing. MillerCoorswhose brands already include Killian's Irish Red, Leinenkugel's, and Foster'sjust recently acquired Saint Archer Brewing Company. Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits was acquired by Constellations Brands. Finally, Heineken NV purchased a stake in Lagunitas Brewing Company. It would seem that craft beer and breweries had obtained the attention of not only the consumer, but also the larger multinational breweries and corporations.

PROFILES OF BEER PRODUCERS

Anheuser-Busch InBev

As the world's largest producer by volume, AB InBev employed over 150,000 people in 26 different countries. The product portfolio included the production, marketing, and distribution of over 200 beers, malt beverages, as well as soft drinks in 130 countries. These brands included Budweiser, Stella Artois, Leffe, and Hoegaarden.

AB InBev managed its product portfolio through three tiers. Global brands, such as Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Corona, were distributed throughout the world. International brands (Beck's, Hoegaarden, Leffe) were found in multiple countries. Local champions (i.e., local brands) represent regional or domestic brands acquired by AB InBev, such as Goose Island in the United States and Cass in South Korea. While some of the local brands were found in different countries, it was due to geographic proximity and the potential to grow the brand larger.

AB InBev estimated its market share in China as 19 percent, United States 46 percent, Brazil 68 percent, and Mexico 58 percent.¹⁰ Its strength in brand recognition and focused marketing on what page C-53it deemed as core categories resulted in AB InBev as the top brewery in the United States, Brazil, and Mexico markets, and number three in China by volume. Significant growth had been recognized in the developing markets, including Mexico and the Asia Pacific region. Since 2013, volumes in Mexico have almost doubled, while volumes in Asia Pacific have increased by approximately 25 percent. This helped offset the approximate 3 percent decrease in volume in North America and the 2 percent decrease in Europe.

AB InBev invested heavily in marketing. Budweiser planned to sponsor the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, as it had sponsored the 2014 competition. This marketing helped bolster the Budweiser brand, as it accounted for 11 percent of AB InBev's 2015 volume. It experienced a 7 percent growth in 2015, attributed to increased sales in China and Brazil. Bud Lightwhich held 47 percent of the premium light category as the best-selling beer in the United Stateswas official sponsor of the National Football League through 2022.

AB InBev had also actively acquired other brands and breweries since the 1990s, including Labatt in 1995, Beck's in 2002, Anheuser-Busch in 2008, and Grupo Modelo in 2013. All of these acquisitions proceeded the SABMiller purchase. These acquisitions provided AB InBev greater market share and penetration through combining marketing and operations to all brands. The reacquisition of the Oriental Brewery in 2014 was a good example of the potential synergies garnered. Cass was the leading beer in Korea and was produced by Oriental Brewery; however, while Cass represented the local brand for AB InBev in Korea, Hoegaarden was distributed in Korea, along with the global brands of Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois.

A summary of AB InBev's financial performance from 2013 to 2015 is presented inExhibit 6.

EXHIBIT 6Financial Summary for AB InBev, 2013-2015 (in millions of $)

	2015	2014	2013
Revenue	$43,604	$47,063	$43,195
Cost of sales	(17,137)	(18,756)	(17,594)
Gross Profit	26,467	28,307	25,601
Distribution expenses	(4,259)	(4,558)	(4,061)
Sales and marketing expenses	(6,913)	(7,036)	(5,958)
Administrative expenses	(2,560)	(2,791)	(2,539)
Other operating income/expenses	1,032	1,386	1,160
Non-recurring items	136	(197)	6,240
Profit from operations (EBIT)	13,904	15,111	20,443
Depreciation, amortization and impairment	3,153	3,354	2,985
EBITDA	$17,057	$18,465	$23,428

Sources: AB InBev 2015 and 2014 Annual Reports to Shareholders.

Boston Beer Company

Approximately 1,400 people were employed at Boston Beer Company, one of the largest craft brewers by volume in the United States, having sold 4.1 million barrels in 2015. In 2015 it was ranked second largest craft brewing company, and fifth in size for overall brewing. Its primary brand was Samuel Adams, first introduced in 1984. The company history states the recipe for Sam Adams was actually company founder Jim Koch's great-great-grandfather's recipe. The story of Boston Beer Company and Jim Koch's success was referenced at times as the beginning of the craft beer movement, often citing how Koch originally sold his beer to bars with the beer and pitching on the spot.

This beginning seems to underpin much of Boston Beer Company's strategy as it competes in the higher value and higher price-point category it refers to as the better beer segment. Focusing on quality and taste, Boston Beer Company markets the Samuel Adams Boston Lager as the original beer page C-54Koch first discovered. Under the Sam Adams brand were several seasonal beers, including Sam Adams Summer Ale and Sam Adams Octoberfest. Other seasonal Sam Adams beers have limited release in seasonal variety packs, including Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin and Samuel Adams Holiday Porter. In addition, there was also the Samuel Adams Brewmaster's Collection, a much smaller, limited release set of beers at much higher points, including the Small Batch Collection and Barrel Room Collection. Utopiaits highest-priced beerwas branded as highly experimental and under very limited release.

In the spirit of craft beer and innovation, several years ago Boston Beer Company launched a craft brew incubator as a subsidiary, which had led to the successful development and sales of beers under the Traveler Beer Company brand. The incubator, Alchemy and Science, also built Concrete Beach Brewery and Coney Island Brewery. Accordingly, Alchemy and Science contributed to 7 percent of the total net sales in 2015.

Boston Beer Company had two non-beer brands. The Twisted Tea brand was launched 15 years ago, and the Angry Orchard brand 3 years ago. These other brands and products compete in the flavored malt beverage and the hard cider categories, respectively.

A summary of Boston Brewing Company's financial performance from 2013 to 2015 is presented inExhibit 7.

EXHIBIT 7Financial Summary for Boston Brewing Company, 2013-2015 (in thousands of $)

	2015	2014	2013
Revenue	$1,024,040	$966,478	$793,705
Excise taxes	(64,106)	(63,471)	(54,652)
Cost of goods sold	(458,317)	(437,996)	(354,131)
Gross Profit	501,617	465,011	384,922
Advertising, promotional and selling expenses	273,629	250,696	207,930
General and administrative expenses	71,556	65,971	62,332
Impairment of assets	258	1,777	1,567
Operating Income	156,174	146,567	113,093
Interest income	56	21	31
Other expense, net	(1,220)	(994)	(583)
Provision for income taxes	56,596	54,851	42,149
Net Income	$ 98,414	$ 90,743	$ 70,392

Source: Boston Beer Company 2015 Annual Report.

Craft Brew Alliance

Craft Brew Alliance was the fifth largest craft brewing company in the United States, and was ranked ninth for overall brewing by volume. First founded in 2008, it represents the mergers between Redhook Brewery, Widmer Brothers Brewing, and Kona Brewing Company. Each brewery with substantial history, the decision to merge was to help assist with growth and meeting demand. Today Craft Brew Alliance includes Omission Brewery, Resignation Brewery, and Square Mile Cider Company. In addition to these five brands, Craft Brew Alliance operates five brewpubs. In total, there were 820 people employed at Craft Brew Alliance, producing just over 1 million barrels in 2015.

Craft Brew Alliance utilizes automated brewing equipment and distributes nationally through the Anheuser-Busch wholesaler network alliance, leveraging many of the logistics and thus cost advantages associated. Yet, it remains independent, leveraging both its craft brewery brands and the cost advantage associated with larger distribution networks. It was the only independent craft brewer to achieve page C-55this relationship. However, given the locations of the original founding breweries, sales were concentrated on the West Coast and Hawaii.

Craft Brew Alliance engages in contract brewinga practice where space capacity in production was utilized to produce beer under contract for sale under a different label or brand. In addition, it had partnerships with retailers like Costco and Buffalo Wild Wings, garnering further consumer exposure as well as sales.

A summary of Craft Brew Alliance's financial performance from 2013 to 2015 is presented inExhibit 8.

EXHIBIT 8Financial Summary for Craft Brew Alliance, 2013-2015 (in thousands of $)

	2015	2014	2013
Revenue	$204,168	$200,022	$179,180
Cost of sales	(141,972)	(141,312)	(128,919)
Gross Profit	62,196	58,710	50,261
Selling, general and administrative expenses	57,932	53,000	46,461
Operating Income	4,264	5,710	3,800
Income before provision for income taxes	3,718	5,099	3,263
Provision for income taxes	1,500	2,022	1,304
Net Income	$2,218	$3,077	$1,959

Sources: Craft Brew Alliance 2014 Annual Report to Shareholders and 2016 10-K SEC Filing Report.

Strategic Issues Confronting Craft Breweries in 2016

The vast majority of the craft breweries might produce only enough beer for the local population in their area. Many of these breweries started the same way as the larger breweries: Home brewers or hobbyists decided to start to brew and sell their own beer. Many obtained startup capital through their own savings or soliciting investments from friends and family.

Given their entrepreneurial beginnings, these microbreweries and even smaller nanobreweries were usually located in industrial spaces. They were solely operated by the brewer-turned-entrepreneur, or a small staff of two or three. This staff would help with brewing and production, as well as potentially brewery tours and visitsprobably the most common marketing and consumer relations tactic utilized by smaller breweries. While almost all breweries offered tours and tastings, these became ever more critical to the smaller brewery with limited capital for marketing and advertising. If on-site sales were available, the brewer was able to sell growlers to visitors.

Social media websites also offered significant exposure for free and had become a foundational element of these breweries' marketing. These websites helped the brewery reach the craft beer consumer, who tended to seek out and follow new and upcoming breweries. There were also mobile phone applications specific to the craft beer industry that could help a startup gain exposure. Participating in craft beer festivals, where local and regional breweries were able to offer samples to attendees, was another opportunity to gain exposure.

Some small microbreweries did not have enough employees for bottling and labeling, and had been known to solicit volunteers through social media. To gain exposure and boost sales, the brewery might host events at local restaurants, such as tap-takeovers, where several of its beers are featured on draft. If enough consumers were engaged, the local restaurant was enticed to purchase more beer from the distributor of the brewery. However, any number of variablesraw material shortages, tight retail competition, price-sensitive consumerscould dramatically impact future viability.

The number of beers available to the consumer throughout all segments and price points had page C-56continued to steadily climb since the mid-2000s. It would seem that while the market for lower-price-point beer was stagnating in developing countries, sales of Budweiser and others were increasing overseas in developing markets. However, the significant growth seemed to be in the craft beer, or better beer, segments. Between 2013 and 2015 almost 1,500 new microbreweries opened across the United States. Compared to about 700 from 2010 to 2012,¹¹ it was clear that more individuals were viewing craft beer as a potential business.

Further, larger macrobreweries and regional craft breweries were seizing the opportunity to acquire other breweries as a method of obtaining distribution and branding synergies, while also mitigating the amount of direct competition. Complicating the competitive landscape were increasing availability and price fluctuations of raw materials. These sporadic shortages might impact the industry's growth and affect the production stability of breweries, especially those smaller operations that did not have capacity to purchase in bulk or outbid larger competitors. Overall, the growth in the consumers' desire for craft beer was likely to continue to attract more entrants, while encouraging larger breweries to seek additional acquisitions of successful craft beer brands.

ENDNOTES

^1. Brewers Association.

^2. Boston Beer Reports Fourth Quarter 2015 Results, Press Release, February 18, 2016.

^3. Beer sales are commonly measured by barrels in America and hectoliters in Europe. The conversion is 1 hL = 0.852 barrel [U.S. beer]. AB InBev reported 233.7 million hL and 45.8 percent of the market in the 2016 20-K SEC filing. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau Statistical Report for Beer in December 2015 shows production to be about 190.5 million barrels.

^4. Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association, The Beer Industry Economic Contribution Study, 2015.

^5. "World Beer MarketOpportunities and Forecasts, 2014-2020,"www.alliedmarketresearch.com/beer-market(accessed May 24, 2016).

^6. A. Ramzy, "China's Craft Breweries Find They May Have a 5,000-Year-Old Relative," The New York Times, May 25, 2016,www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/world/asia/china-beer-history.html.

^7. Guinness website.

^8. American Homebrewers Association.

^9. 2015 Hop Acreage Report Expanded, n.d.,www.usahops.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=stat&pageID=8 (accessed May 26, 2016).

^10. AB InBev March 2016 20-F Report. Rounded to nearest percent.

^11. Brewers Association.