The reason? The coronavirus pandemic.
Due to bars and restaurants being closed during lockdown, there is less beer currently in kegs. Instead, the beer that would have been served at bars and restaurants is being sold in cans for drinkers to enjoy at home.
The strain on the supply chain was first felt with 16 0z. cans, an increasingly popular format for micro-brewed IPAs. The impact there was first seen in August, 2020.
As if you didn’t already have enough things to worry about in 2020, right?
Brewers soon will have to start looking outside of the country to source the packaging they need. The most logical candidate is Mexico, from where aluminum cans can be exported without tariffs. That stopgap is only serviceable for so long. Soon, the industry is expected to turn to Asia for assistance. And there will be increased shipping costs involved. The added cost, of course, will ultimately be swallowed by the consumer.
Due to bars and restaurants being closed during lockdown, there is less beer currently in kegs. Instead, the beer that would have been served at bars and restaurants is being sold in cans for drinkers to enjoy at home.
The strain on the supply chain was first felt with 16 0z. cans, an increasingly popular format for micro-brewed IPAs. The impact there was first seen in August, 2020.
As if you didn’t already have enough things to worry about in 2020, right?
Brewers soon will have to start looking outside of the country to source the packaging they need. The most logical candidate is Mexico, from where aluminum cans can be exported without tariffs. That stopgap is only serviceable for so long. Soon, the industry is expected to turn to Asia for assistance. And there will be increased shipping costs involved. The added cost, of course, will ultimately be swallowed by the consumer.
