The pandemic and its reverberations have been relentless, pummeling our industry with one complication after another. From staffing shortages, inflation, and sales disruptions to issues with shipping and the supply chain, running a business over the past few years has tested our resolve and forced a reconsideration of just about every facet of our operations.
More recently, various effects of the pandemic—along with climate change and global conflict—have coalesced to cause a rise in costs that’s impossible to ignore. As the costs of grain, packaging, and shipping go up, so goes the cost of beer—whether you’re brewing it, serving it over the bar, or selling it retail.
The big question becomes, “Should we raise prices?”