The beauty of the spring season is finally upon us. I am sure that most of us in the industry would agree that with the improved weather, folks are more willing to embark on craft brewery tours. All of us would agree as members that Craft Beer tourism is an essential engine of growth for […]
The design of a brewery’s visual brand identity plays an extremely important role in the marketing and promotions of a brewery and its beer. The visual brand identity is all of the “seen” elements of a brand. In the case of a brewery, it’s things like a logo or word mark, packaging, labels, promo materials, […]
Food waste has become a hot-button issue, and restaurants, grocery chains, food processing companies, municipalities and the federal government are adopting strategies for reducing it. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”) called for a 50 percent reduction of the country’s food waste by the year 2030. According to the USEPA, more than “34 million tons […]
It is not an uncommon occurrence. A customer or patron makes an inappropriate sexual comment to a server or, even worse, engages in some inappropriate touching. Whenever alcohol is involved—as is the case in most brewery-customer interactions—the risks of unfortunate patron conduct increase. While, as the employer, you may feel that such customer conduct may […]
Time and again, activated sludge systems—aerobic or anaerobic—have failed to effectively treat brewery wastewater. The challenge lies in the variability of effluent characteristics. It is this variability which upsets the organisms responsible for removing organics. While these systems can sometimes work well, organisms, like people, are sensitive creatures. And once they’re upset, it can take […]
Following on my last post, Five Trade Practice Tips and Traps, there was an update to the ABC law in the state of California that is worth noting, since it likely will affect a New York State brewery that intends to use social media in general, to have a website, and maybe to eventually distribute […]
On December 23, 2015, the New York State Department of Labor adopted new regulations for certain tipped employees in the hospitality industry. The new regulations raise the minimum wage for “food service workers” and “service employees” to $7.50 per hour (from $5.00 and $5.65, respectively) and reduce the maximum available “tip credit” for such employees […]
As holiday season sales are in full swing and your beers are flying off the shelves, your brewery might think of adding some fuel to the fire by kicking your marketing and advertising up a notch. Here are five common issues that confront beverage alcohol suppliers that maybe don’t seem to be a problem on […]
In recent columns I discussed the need for successful companies to have a workforce skilled in 21st-century technology and the fact that competing in a global economy requires evaluation of our organization, workforce, and processes, respectively. Now I would like to focus on changing company culture to attract a workforce with those necessary skill sets. […]
You’ve located the perfect spot for your new or expanded brew and tasting location. You’ve identified and contracted with a suitable consultant and requested that they perform a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment. The Phase I report is issued and you learn that your ideal location is impacted by prior uses at the site. Deep breath—your […]