Large brewing groups swallow up microbreweries
The boom in craft beer has created a small market that in Spain accounts for around 1% of national beer consumption, but in other countries such as the United States reaches levels of 13%. Craft beer is a new product that brings with it a renewal of values in terms of branding compared to industrial-style beer.
This situation has not gone unnoticed by the big multinationals, which have wasted no time in extending their influence. Today, most major brewing groups own microbreweries both inside and outside their home markets. This phenomenon has also reached Spain. La Sagra belongs to Molson Coors. The giant AB InBev bought La Virgen. Even within our borders, Mahou San Miguel orchestrated the acquisition of Nómada and Founders. In turn, the Heineken group took a majority stake in La Cibeles, which together with Lagunitas forms its more craft‑oriented portfolio.
Why do brewing groups invest so many resources in a niche that today represents only 1%? The truth is that craft beer figures keep growing at a dizzying pace year after year. In this regard, forecasts are very optimistic. Now is the time to stake out a position, and the big multinationals know it. Not all of the actions they are taking now may be profitable immediately, but when the market has consolidated in a few years, they will then enjoy a significant advantage.
What are the negative repercussions of microbreweries being acquired by multinationals? For the consumer, there is a risk that the product will change. It is common for the multinational to impose its own suppliers on these small breweries in order to cut costs. This directly affects the beer’s properties. In general, flagship beers lose their special touch. In addition, the logistics behind a craft beer are much more delicate than in the case of an industrial beer, and this is not always taken into account. Craft beer needs cold-chain transport, it cannot be exposed to light and its shelf life tends to be shorter. Unfortunately, the product is not always handled with the care it requires.
Beyond the philosophical connotations of microbreweries’ independence, there are a series of factors that the big groups still haven’t corrected and that directly affect craft beer as a collective brand.
