Brewers Association
In regards to the rising costs of raw materials (particularly malt and hops). The topic has been getting a lot of media coverage in the last few weeks. The Brewers Association has provided several resources for members on this topic and we also want to assist you with information that your local media may desire:
1) The Brewers Association, PR and Marketing Committee, and Board of Directors discussed press strategies in regards to getting the word out on the rising costs of hops and malt. The adopted strategy is to let the mainstream press continue to run with the story, and craft brewers can field information and interview requests as they happen.
2) The Association will not talk about any impact on prices, because it could be construed as pricing guidance. We may, however gather and disseminate aggregated data.
3) The most recent issue of The New Brewer (November/December 2007) has a very informative article on the cost of malt and hop increases and how the situation came to be. As a member, if you find you need a copy of the article sent to any media you are talking to please have them contact Julia Herz ([email protected]) and we will send it directly to them.
4) The BA staff suggested the story to media representatives from the Associated Press and New York Times, this has gained coverage for the topic and thus got the word out to the public that rising costs of raw materials for many brewers has significantly increased in 2007.
5) BA staff has fielded interviews on the rising costs of raw materials from major media outlets including: National Public Radio, CNBC, Fox News With Shepard Smith and the Associated Press.
6) We have an informational piece on the Craft Brewing Section of Beertown.org/craftbrewing/index.html as a media and member resource.
7) On November 1, more than 280 Brewers Association (BA) members participated in the latest edition of the BA’s Power Hour Web seminar “State of the Crop: Hop and Barley Insights for 2007 and Beyond.” Members listened to industry experts and received key information on how to deal with the hop and barley shortages. http://www.beertown.org/power_hour/2007/november/index.htm
8) The Brewers Association put together ‘talking facts’ on the rising costs of raw materials topic and emailed them to every BA Brewery member on October 25, 2007. An updated version can be viewed at: http://www.beertown.org/email/ba/COG_Facts_Final.doc
9) We are still in the planning stages of the Craft Brewers Conference to be held in San Diego April 16 – April 19 , 2008. The preliminary agenda includes presentations on malt supply, hops supply and packaging materials issues.
We hope the above helps you in regards to the rising costs of hops and malt.
Sincerely,
Paul Gatza Julia Herz
Director Brewers Association Director Craft Beer Division
[email protected] [email protected]
303-447-0816 #122 303-447-0816 #144
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