The craft beer scene is booming, with a seemingly endless variety of brews on the market and more entrepreneurs than ever looking to start their own breweries.
Industrial districts are quickly becoming an attractive option for craft brewers due to their availability of resources, close proximity to consumers, access to distributors and affiliates, as well as higher prospects for expansion.
Scroll for several reasons why industrial districts make such great homes for craft breweries.
1. The Appeal of Proximity to Consumers
For starters, being near consumers can do wonders for awareness and potential sales of your products. With the right proximity to customers, more people will become aware of your brewery and its offerings.
Plus, if you’re located close enough to a town or city center, it allows those buzzing with energy to easily access local craft brews, whenever they need to quench some thirst or sample your offerings. It’s also easy to find a building suitable for your brewery, rather than constricting one from scratch in an industrial district.
2. Access to Local Resources and Infrastructure
Craft brewers benefit from setting up shops in industrial districts beyond the obvious convenience around consumers. The infrastructure and nearby resources offered by such places often make it easier for these businesses to both produce their drinks with great efficiency and also comply with environmental regulations without incurring high associated costs.
This is especially as far as the cost of transportation and advertising are concerned, not to mention issues revolving around waste disposal and management.
Setting up shop within these industrial zones can help cut costs, thanks to the ease of access to supplies needed in production, reliable transportation systems, and waste disposal outlets, as well as basic utilities and IT infrastructure. Importantly, the latter makes it easy to utilize tools like Ollie’s platform for breweries, as well as other automation solutions that help streamline operations and ensure efficiency.
3. Easy Access to Distributors and Affiliates
For craft beer makers, access to reliable distributors is of prime importance. Being in an industrial environment provides breweries with a better chance at connecting with established networks within the industry, which can in turn connect them with retailers and even promoters.
Moreover, when located near other manufacturers, suppliers, or packaging companies in an industrial area, it becomes more convenient for businesses to form mutually beneficial relationships that will help meet rising demand and potentially stay ahead of competitors.
For instance, the ease of finding partners in terms of supplies such as bottles or containers, promoters, or even collaborative marketing partners like hotels, bars, and restaurants can lead to a higher volume of sales for your brewery in any given period.
4. A Higher Expansion Potential
Finally, many craft breweries prefer industrial districts over other areas because of the potential for growth. Having reliable access to partners and suppliers that can help cater to increasing orders, and a population base right at your doorstep provides ample room for expanding production.
It’s always a chance to experiment with novel recipes and offer new products without having to spend ages doing so.
Combined with the increased availability of utilities, infrastructure investments, and a higher potential for a ready consumer market, it’s easy to see why industrial districts are a favorable environment for a craft brewery.
To sum up, craft breweries are increasingly becoming popular in industrial districts anywhere, from towns to cities, urban centers to slightly rural neighborhoods. From easy customer access to resources infrastructure, several factors make for higher expansion potential.
All in all, however, your unique recipes and how you run or manage your brewery will make all the difference!
