The Brewers Association (BA) mid-year look at the numbers shows that BA defined craft breweries are down 2% through the first half of 2023, the first decline of the industry since the BA began tracking numbers, with the exception of the pandemic year 2020.
Packaged sales were down 3% versus same time last year but have improved significantly since the first quarter results which were down 9%.
“Optimism is on the horizon as the midyear survey shows hope for better trends in the future,” reflected Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association. “Collectively, craft still needs new ideas and new strategies to move beyond our current normal, which is a slow-growth environment. Craft demand isn’t going anywhere, and there is plenty of opportunity for growth within new channels, occasions, and customers.”
The number of breweries in the US continues to rise with the number of active craft breweries increasing from 9,119 in June 2022 to 9,336 as of June 2023. The total number of BA defined craft breweries stands at 9,456.