There are many levers and dials that as brewery owners you can adjust to make tweaks to your business. But it can be difficult to track and interpret the flood of information flowing in, from production and sales numbers to taproom receipts and more. What metrics are most important in maximizing the productivity and efficiency of the brewery?
Focus on Impact
“The first thing you do is focus on where you can actually have an impact,” says Matt Linecum, co-owner of Fremont Brewing. “Our philosophy has always been there’s no reason to have information or data unless you have the power to do something about it. So that’s how we evaluate our investments and upgrades. Does it matter if I know how much electricity I’m using if I have no money to actually put efficient measures in place? Not really. You should really spend that time, money, resources, and attention—which is probably the scarcest resource—on things that can have impact immediately. Do those and then move on to the next.”
Outside of evaluating which areas you have the funds and ability to directly influence, understanding how the various components of your business work together can also help identify areas where you’re doing well and areas of improvement.