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The (RAPIDLY) Changing Face of Craft Distribution

Jake Sauter, vice president of craft distributor Clear River Beverage in Minneapolis, sheds some light on the shifting landscape.

Jamie Bogner Nov 14, 2019 - 8 min read

The (RAPIDLY) Changing Face of Craft Distribution Primary Image

CBB As a distributor that focuses on craft beer, how have the dynamics shifted over the past six months?

JS There are a couple of things happening—the focus on hyper-local beer is starting to diminish, and retailers do not see geography as their top need for the beer they are promoting. At the same time, the desire for what is “new” is increasing with a significant portion of consumers, so we are narrowing our focus to only one or two core brands per brewery (serving that portion of the consumer base that loves what they love) while rotating everything else to keep the brewery fresh and top of mind, both in the on and off premise.

CBB How is price affecting the product mix?

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