#ab-inbev

[openaigptreviews]

AB-inBev's Low-Quality Beer is Not Worth the Hype

As someone who enjoys a good beer, I have to say that AB-inBev’s low-quality beer is not worth the hype. It’s disappointing to see how much advertising goes into this product when the taste is just not there. As soon as you take a sip, you’ll notice that the beer is overly carbonated and tastes flat, lacking any distinct flavor. It’s not even a beer that you can drink casually with friends, as it…

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[moxielady]

Current Changes with Ratebeer.com - What Does it Mean for Craft Breweries and Craft Drinkers?

Current Changes with Ratebeer.com – What Does it Mean for Craft Breweries and Craft Drinkers?

The AB-InBev lineup. (The Drum)

Last October Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired a minority stake in the popular consumer rating/review website RateBeer.com. This acquisition has raised a lot of questions and controversy around special interest and conflict of interest among breweries and press. There have been a lot of streams on Facebook where people are sharing concerns about what will happen to the

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[newsinbrews-blog]

AB-InBev-NB:  The Devil In Detail

'Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection as any other right.'

                                                                       ABRAHAM LINCOLN

The Post-Honeymoon Analysis

Ever since AB-InBev stirred our kettles last year with its acquisition of NB, brewers have been shuffling their game theories on the future of homebrewing.  Are local and regional homebrewing supply stores in the crosshairs?  Is homebrewing as we know it doomed to beechwood lagers?  Or was the news just red herrings masquerading as a meme?

This could be far more simple than it seems.  And it probably is.  So as the honeymoon winds to an end we at BrewersXchange thought we'd peel away some layers on the subject.

Mash Before the Boil

One observation that should be mentioned is that while there is concern over "motives" in the acquisition, no one questions the "merit" of the acquisition.  NB has earned the respect of vendors and brewers alike, not to mention building a sizable market share.  We all salute NB’s growth and dedication to homemade brew, burning the path for future homebrewed moguls.  But let it be said that NB could not achieve such status and respect without healthy competition and comradery among its peers.  That dedication-to-craft we see in local retailers will more than likely assure their survival.

So why the big fuss?  Perhaps this anxiety could be rooted in AB-InBev's acquisition roster, an endless record longer than history itself.   In addition, AB-InBev's anti-trust practices and intergalactic mergers are routinely investigated by the US Justice Department, and for good reason.  Most of these conflicts were eventually resolved through "negotiation" with President Obama's Department of Justice, but the stigma put on every new AB-InBev deal still remains.  If any of you brewers believe in the "everything is political" theory, then you may enjoy this link or this one.

New Kid on the Block: "Shop & Save at Budweiser's"

The harsh reality of AB-InBev buying-in to a ‘smaller stakes’ table may be true, but the premise of it bullying the players is probably unlikely and surely unproductive.  Similar fear rippled through the craft brew industry a few years ago, which some could say exacerbated conflict in the distribution networks.  

The underlying motive most palatable to us is that AB-InBev sought out a link in the homebrewing sector, and in their traditional fashion acquired one of the leaders in the market-- NB.  Let's get real brewers. A local homebrew store is nothing more than a grocery store carrying specialty items with a trained chef working behind the register.  Is that really NB's end game here?  More storefronts?  That modus operandi isn't supported by AB-InBev's business model, branding, nor investment style.

Instead, we paint a picture with a different outcome-- A positive one.   Acquiring NB presents AB-InBev with a multitude of opportunities-- Some being;

Cash.  AB-InBev could just be interested in adding to their bottom line.  Sit on NB’s cash and inventory, and show little or no change to the industry.

Expansion.  Expanding NB's brand to other cities by opening new stores. This outcome is probably unlikely due to cost-cutting trends in the global retail sectors.  Big Retailers are actually closing stores, forced to tighten their belts.

Management.  AB-InBev could oversee NB's operations with a higher level of involvement between NB and AB Brewers.  Streamlining of inventory and fulfillment, which could include opening new warehouses or regional shipping hubs.  National advertising/educational campaigns could also emerge attracting new NB customers in underserved regions.

New Revenue.  Another avenue NB can take, which is very likely, is to develop new revenue streams for new and existing products.  AB-InBev is coming off a rough year (2016) and has restructured its management which included middle management lay offs.  Any investment in NB will probably go towards lower costs and stronger profit margins, more likely coming from new consumer products, not brick-and-mortar retail expansion.

More insight into what the future might hold could be found here.  

What Happens Next?

The biggest innovations that lead us into the future always start with a simple question requiring a reasonable answer.  So we propose the question of what is possible.  How can the average homebrew store take advantage of NB’s acquisition?

Packaging branded beers in recipe form is a "niche" play for AB-InBev, which could lead every BudLight drinker to the nearest LHBS.  "Niche" is good.  Niche is in fashion.  If you put the acquisition under a microscope, NB would be an ideal place to incubate new product lines.  And if such products were to come to fruition, then one should expect AB-InBev to advertise in blitzes, directing potential BudLight customers to a "homebrew store near you".  All remote possibilities.

The general public can only speculate what the future holds for AB-InBev-NB. Newer innovation in homebrewing has been leaning towards automation. Automating the brewing process seems to be on everyone’s drawing board, aimed mainly at saving time or labor.  From the perspective of AB-InBev, packaging branded beer recipes with an appliance item could garner recurring revenue on single sales.  AB-InBev positioning itself in homebrew product development is quite plausible, if not hopeful.  

Or maybe NB will disprove our predictions and become the "Home Depot" of Homebrewing, putting every competitor in peril.  We will have to wait and see. The nearest "Budweiser Store Near You” may never open, but if it does that would be the only time to worry.  The marriage of AB-InBev and NB obviously makes an odd couple that just so happens to get along.  More obvious is Big Business came and they liked what they saw.

[jaxbeerguy]

Tripel Karmeliet brewer sells to AB-Inbev

Tripel Karmeliet brewer sells to AB-Inbev

Acquisitions within the beer world are becoming fairly routine. Whether it is larger craft beer breweries acquiring smaller craft breweries or mega brewing companies purchasing craft breweries, the result is an ever-tightening of the beer market. But also, the buying and selling means greater access to brands that beer-lovers may not otherwise be able to purchase locally. (see my post, Craft Beer…

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[juaniitaalopezz]

Brazilians can’t even afford to drink their problems away

#Updates Unemployment in Brazil has become so pernicious a problem that Brazilians are starting to see it reflected in the bottoms of their empty beer mugs.… http://qz.com/676125/brazilians-cant-even-afford-to-drink-their-problems-away/ QZ.com

[jaxbeerguy]

AB-InBev stirs the kettle at Super Bowl once again

AB-InBev stirs the kettle at Super Bowl once again

The Super Bowl is over and that means that Anheuser-Busch/InBev has succeeded in raising the ire of someone in the craft beer world. This time they took aim at hobbiests who enjoy brewing their own beers and by association many craft beer breweries that come from home brewing roots. The offending ad, titled Not Backing Down, features Budweiser and asserts that making the beer is “NOT A…

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[liquidbreadblog]

“Breckenridge Brewery has a long history of innovation and they continue to brew new and exciting beers, from their specialty brews like the Mountain Series that celebrates the brewery’s origin as a ski town brewpub, to their planned nitro can series,” said Andy Goeler, CEO, Craft, The High End. “They are innovative and have built an amazing business that’s enabled them to get their great beers to fans across the country. We look forward to even more growth together." Translated: We are excited to have big beer push us around and change our recipes and make fun of us on Super Bowl Sunday because we are brewing unique beers instead of golden suds.

[cheesenewsnetwork-blog]

The great AB-Inbev-SAB-Miller monster!

Will it survive? The great AB-Inbev-SAB-Miller monster! #beer #AB-Inbev #SABMiller

Trouble in the beerworld! As you probably heard by now the biggest brewer in the world just made a bid for the second and as BBC reported it’s not a merger.

(more…)

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