If you attended the Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference in Tampa, Florida, you know that National Beer Wholesalers Association Chief Economist Lester Jones can take years of data and boil it down to paint a picture of what’s really happening in the beer industry.
In the United States today, there are thousands of brewers and importers. Thousands of distributors, hundreds of thousands of places to buy beer and more than 90 million consumers. It is a diverse industry with many different products. There is no shortage of data to track, analyze and report on every day. Demographic, employment and wage data also can provide insights into the reasons why brands are purchased and consumed.
Lester will provide a high level look at all the exciting things happening in today’s beer industry, then turn to Wisconsin beer distributors who are working behind-the-scenes with brewers and retailers to get the stories behind the numbers.
Because independent beer distributors work with multiple brands of all sizes and service thousands of retail accounts – from large chain stores to indie bottle shops and the corner pub – they are uniquely positioned to offer a broad perspective on all facets of the business. They are data-driven companies that know which brands and products are in high demand and can predict future trends in the marketplace. You can often look to beer distributors for an early indication of what products have staying power and may be expanding their distribution to new markets.
These independent distributors will share real examples of how they are adapting to current industry challenges and finding new opportunities in new channels. From mergers and acquisitions to new market entrants, a maturing craft beer industry and new technologies, hear their insights on how distributors are adapting.
Come with questions, and don’t miss the opportunity to hear from this expert panel:
Lester Jones – National Beer Wholesalers Association (Alexandria, VA)
NBWA Chief Economist Lester Jones tracks the economic factors that impact the beer distribution industry and alcohol policy decisions at the federal, state and local levels. He evaluates and develops primary industry data, including economic impact, tax impacts, sales and volume data.
Lester has more than 20 years of experience in research, survey methodology and applied economics. He has served as chief economist at the Beer Institute, where he developed and executed significant research initiatives that helped shape America’s beer industry. Lester also previously worked for Arbitron Company (Nielsen) in Columbia, Maryland, and the Regional Economic Studies Institute in Towson, Maryland. He holds a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Delaware as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Mike Frank – Frank Beer Distributors (Middleton, WI)
Mike Frank is currently the president of Frank Beer Distributors and on the Management Board of Beer Capitol Distributing in Sussex, Wisconsin. Both companies are part of Frank Beverage Group, a fourth-generation family business employing 750+ people in Wisconsin. Prior to joining the family business in 2007, Mike spent five years as district manager with Crown Imports in Minnesota. Mike received his B.S. in Economics in 2002 from the University of Minnesota. Mike lives in Middleton, Wisconsin, with his wife Katie, and daughters Carson and Charlie.
Justin Wellington – Beechwood Sales and Service
Justin Wellington started at Beechwood Sales and Service as a sales analyst four years ago, after graduating from Marquette University. Since then, he has been tracking beer sales and working closely with breweries of all sizes. Justin also recently graduated with a Masters in Applied Economics from Marquette and is looking forward to applying his knowledge and skills in the beer industry for many years to come.
To learn more about the National Beer Wholesalers Association and America’s independent beer distributors, visit www.nbwa.org. For additional updates, subscribe to The Daily Brew newsletter, follow @FollowYourBeer on Instagram, like NBWABeer on Facebook, follow @NBWABeer on Twitter and watch NBWA videos on YouTube.