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Forecasting for 2022: The Murky Crystal Ball Says, “Remain Agile”
Here’s how breweries are building in flexibility amid ongoing shortages, supply-chain headaches, labor crunches, and the rising costs that obfuscate next year’s forecasts.
Just to be prepared, Sycamore Brewing says it has tested substitute ingredients for its flagship Mountain Candy IPA, hoping that supply-chain problems never force that Plan B. Photo: Courtesy Sycamore Brewing.
The past two years have been marked by an unpredictability with no modern precedent. Breweries planning for 2022 are seeing an unclear horizon with foreboding storm clouds. On-premise closures and lockdowns have passed, for now—but in their place are rising input costs and ongoing shortages in ingredients, labor, and aluminum cans.
In short, forecasting for 2022 is unlike anything that’s come before it. Yet there’s good news for breweries that have already weathered the pandemic: They’re more flexible, resilient, and adaptable than ever. Here’s how to apply those strengths to next year’s planning.
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