Dive Brief:
- Craft brewers are facing a shortage of cans, which have been in increasing demand as the craft beer industry grows in the U.S.
- The 16-ounce cans, generally packaged in four-packs, are in especially high demand, as craft brewers use them to distinguish themselves from the six-packs of 12-ounce cans typically used by major brewers.
- Once relegated to cheap domestic beers, cans are growing in popularity among the craft crowd for the larger surface area they provide for more elaborate packaging designs. The cans are as much aesthetic as they are functional.
Dive Insight:
One of the major can manufacturers, Crown, had offered craft brewers the option of purchasing cans by the half-truckload, as many of these brewers needed only a few thousand cans at a time. This was a lesser minimum order than two of Crown's main competitors, Ball and Rexam. However, as demand for cans increased, in October, Crown raised is minimum order to a full truckload, which ranges from around 155,000 to 200,000 cans, per the can's size.
Crown recognized the challenges this presents to craft brewers, but a Crown spokesperson said that the company offered these brewers alternative recommendations.
A can shortage is not the only issue craft brewers face. The looming takeover of SABMiller by Anheuser-Busch InBev has craft brewers rattled, as many believe such a massive merger could interrupt distribution for independent craft brewers.
Craft beer has threatened major brewers in the U.S., as craft's market share grew to 11% for volume and 19.3% for retail in 2014.