The Problem

In 2009 the documentary "Beer Wars" came out, depicting the huge gaps that small breweries have to fill to be able to compete with "Big Beer". Around this time Anheuser-Busch and Miller Coors sold around 80 percent of all beer in the US (slate.com). Now, over ten years later, these two powerhouses sell around 65 percent of all beer in the US (slate.com). Although quite a bit has changed in the last ten years, at Beer Sign Specialists we continue to hear stories about how tough it is for small breweries to compete with the bug guys. As a fellow small business we want to help, and lucky for you, we have the tools to do just that.

The competition between "Big Beer" and everyone else goes far beyond shelf space at the local grocery store and spreads to competing in on-premise locations like restaurants, bars, and at events. Fortunately, in many states, distributors have gotten on board with smaller craft breweries. But that doesn't always equate to more sales and a larger market share for smaller breweries. It's an age old problem, the bigger the corporation, the deeper the pockets, the more there is to spend on marketing. A large market share and large budget allow for these big breweries to buy in bulk and actually lower their costs. It's an infuriating cycle. Smaller breweries have to spend more money to try and compete, and thats nearly impossible to maintain.

How We Can Help

When we saw Beer Wars ahead of the 2009 Craft Brewers Conference in Boston, it prompted us to develop products for breweries that allow them to more easily compete with the big guys. Our company and product line allow you to buy smaller quantities of products, often at a higher quality, at a much more competitive price. This idea has worked wonders for us a well, our companies equipment and extensive capabilities are perfect for the job. We feel strongly that craft breweries are the future, for us and for beer drinkers everywhere. After-all, we built our business around them!

Today, we still hold true to our mission: to help smaller, craft breweries compete with the big guys. We can boast that all of our products are designed and assembled on-site at our headquarters in Albany, NY. Our product line has grown to a full array of items that will meet any need. From exciting on-premise products like LED signs, tap handles, tackers and bar games to corrugated displays, point-of-sale and wood racks perfect for retail marketing. In addition, we offer specialty items like jockey box covers, corn hole games, event environments, and vehicle wraps. We've got high-quality, completely custom options that will help you stick out like the big guys and even outshine them.

Coming out of the pandemic we are excited to see and hear from breweries again. We feel strongly that we can help them stick out and shine within an industry that doesn't always allow them to. We hope that breweries around the country will consider us as part of their business and partner with us to create the perfect products to go along with your brand and mission. We can't wait to help! 

Learn more about the struggles small breweries face every day. View the Beer Wars trailer below:

Sources: Breaking Up Budwesier: https://slate.com/business/2020/07/break-up-big-beer.html

Beer Wars Movie: https://beerwarsmovie.com/index.php/wall/about/