The future of the brewing industry will require making more than just a tasty, affordable product.
Brewery owners will need to follow emerging post-COVID trends and focus on building consumer trust so their patrons will have their backs if another disaster strikes. Brand loyalty was a huge factor in keeping breweries afloat during the pandemic, and that kind of trust starts with customer satisfaction. So, how do breweries stay open and build consumer trust?
Brewery owners have been put to the test these last few years. To stay relevant and operational during COVID-19, brewery owners set up curbside pickup, drive-through options, and more. They created brews to honor the frontline workers and industry members who had been affected by the layoffs. Some breweries created batches of hand sanitizer and set up outdoor beer gardens. Clearly, breweries that learned to pivot, roll with the punches, and find creative ways to adapt, survived.
The brewery landscape today includes trends like reducing overall consumption of CO2 and other brewing needs to adapt to supply-chain issues, a rise in non-alcoholic choices, and menu expansions. Brewers and owners need to evolve with these modifications or become obsolete.
Because of these paradigm shifts, brewers need to incorporate the lessons learned into their business models and adapt to this “new normal.” This includes acknowledging that patrons have come to expect a certain level of accessibility, good sanitation and safety, and a sense of community.
As we move further away from the pandemic, what lessons have we learned, and what new practices should brewery owners keep to ensure customer satisfaction? Here are eight tips to keep your brewery open and build consumer trust.
1. Online Presence is Crucial
The hospitality businesses that have best adjusted to post-pandemic life are those that have a strong online presence. It’s critical that all businesses, especially food and beverage operations, have a robust online presence.
Don’t neglect your social media, either. Customers who follow and like your brewery will continue to engage with you. Social media offers you an online presence for free (of course, there’s paid advertising, too). If you haven’t already, create a hashtag and a handle and get your business on Instagram and Facebook. Create a buzz and get customers excited to try out your brewery.
Vary your content as well. Sharing exciting tidbits from your brewery tours, behind-the-scenes insights, and trivia will keep your online presence fresh and interesting. Keep customers engaged so they don’t forget about your delicious beverages. One thing’s for sure—the future of the brewing industry will definitely include a strong online presence.
2. Community is Vital to Your Success
The biggest lesson of the pandemic is that we’re all in this together. Our sense of community and support for one another has been vital to our survival and success. This may mean partnering with other businesses to share a parking space and convert it into a beer garden. It may mean connecting with restaurants in the area to offer six-packs to-go. Whatever you do, partner up with others in your area to ensure your future success.
Your community presence also extends beyond your neighborhood. Be sure to stay in contact with your local brewer’s association, affinity groups, and even your health department. You’ve been through one major crisis—stay updated to ensure you are prepared for the next one.
Unfortunately, some small businesses are still struggling. Everyone has to advocate for their well-being. Stay connected with community organizations that support local small businesses, brewers, and beer lovers—that way, you’ll be the first to hear about loans, grants, and support offered to help ease the strain on your business.
Remember, engaging with local communities will build reputation, rapport, trust, loyalty, and excitement for you and your brewery. Community will play an important role in the future of the brewing industry and the success of small businesses.
3. Flexibility is Important to the Future of the Brewing Industry
Another great lesson is the importance of flexibility. If you are nimble, you will roll with the punches and adapt to new circumstances. Flexibility during the pandemic meant creatively installing plexiglass over your bar, setting up socially distant picnic tables outside your brewery, and moving your trivia night to a virtual activity. We will need to continue to stay adaptable and willing to change with the times to ensure the future of the brewing industry is viable and our customers stay satisfied.
Beer is an old beverage, and the brewing industry has been around for centuries. Those who are flexible and quick to adapt will continue to survive. Adaptation could include changing your business model, offering non-alcoholic beverages (like the popular kombucha or craft sodas), or reconsidering your retail options. When you look at your future, take a broad view.
4. Stay Accessible
No one can buy your product if they can’t get it. During COVID-19, breweries that only sold their products in-house started shipping to multiple stores and have continued to do so even after the pandemic. Finding your IPA on the shelves of major stores gave the consumer more convenient options for obtaining your brews and expanded the reach of your craft beers into a larger market for consumers and a bigger pool of target audiences in social media.
Keep offering different ways to get your product other than ordering at the bar. Drive-thrus, outdoor kiosks, and curbside delivery are all still convenient ways for patrons to get your product no matter the circumstances. Places like grocery stores and major outlets still offer these services, and you should too.
5. Outdoor Options are Essential
Having an outdoor space has been another critical factor in the survival of many breweries. Those who have a beer garden, patio seating, or even an area on the sidewalk were able to offer some service when other establishments had to stay closed. The underlying lesson here is that outdoor space is essential and will likely continue to be important for the future of the brewing industry and to your customers – especially to customers with underlying medical conditions or dogs.
As the Midwestern winter months set in, consider patio heaters and other options to keep your outdoor space open. How will you create a comfortable and inviting outdoor space to ensure that customers have a safe and warm area to enjoy their tasty beer? Now is the time to plan for next season.6. Creativity Will Keep You Going
The underlying theme of all of these guidelines is creativity. If you think outside the box, your business is likely to do better in unprecedented times. We must think differently and consider our options because what’s worked in the past might not work now, and the brewing industry may see more challenges in the future.
How do you get creative with your approach? Explore what other businesses, especially breweries, are doing across the United States and abroad. Follow along online and reach out to other brewery owners that you know.
The creative approach doesn’t always mean coming up with the wildest, most novel idea. It can simply mean looking at what’s working for other breweries and applying it to steer your approach. Don’t get too set in your current business model or ways of operating. The virus has underscored the need to be adaptable and quick to change to your environment to match the needs of your patrons.
7. Keep Your Operations Tight
Owners who are conservative in their spending, deliberate in their planning, and careful with their business budget tend to be able to weather most storms. Economic twists and turns have laid bare the reality of running a dream business on a month-to-month budget.
Operating on a strict budget may be necessary for those brewers who experienced economic pain during the pandemic. The good news is that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Customers in the Midwest continue to love and support breweries and beer culture. We know there will still be a future for the brewing industry because it is a beloved part of our identity.
8. Make Safety and Sanitation a Priority
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) introduced a set of new requirements in 2024 to keep you and your staff safe. Health and safety continue to be a priority for your customers, too. Visual signs of safety concerns, like hand sanitizer stations and clean surfaces, can make customers trust that your establishment cares for them. Establish emergency and hazard protocols and make sure you have access to cleaning supplies and hot water.
Hot water is critical to health, sanitation, and safety in general, but it’s especially vital to the industries we serve. Reliable Water Services’ main priority has always been making sure our customers have hot water. We provide 24/7 water heater services to our customers, ensuring you have the hot water your business relies on.
Our team at RWS has always viewed our relationship with each customer as a partnership. As always, should you need service, contact us 24/7 at 1-800-356-1444.
