A recent trip to my local store seeking a last minute gift found me dazed and confused amongst the chillers as a plethora of beers stretched into the distance before me.
I was amazed at the sheer number of craft beer options that seemed to have appeared over night. When did we get this much choice?
In the 1970s, large national companies dominated the industry. Lion Breweries and Dominion Breweries produced almost all New Zealand Beer, whilst 6 huge breweries dominated the American market. However, New Zealand is now home to over 150 craft breweries and premium options are by far the fastest growing segment of the beer industry, seeing 25% growth per year.
The trend is by no means a New Zealand phenomenon. In London, the number of breweries has grown from 14 in 2010 to over 100 now, whilst the majority of Americans now live within 10 miles of a brewery, with many of these enterprises eschewing export deals to supply the local market. Much like the rise of ‘slow food’ and ‘slow fashion’ (a demand for locally and lovingly made products), worldwide we are seeing a move to ‘slow beer’.
So despite it prolonging my Christmas shopping, consumer demand for premium beer looks set to continue grow. Vinsight has begun to work with a handful of breweries and looks forward to supporting more breweries of all sizes in the future.
