AB acquired Wicked Weed

[PartagasD4]

Here is a nice little article to read of 1 person's opinion.



http://goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2017/5/5/watch-the-hands-not-the-cards-the-magic-of-megabrew

 

[IslandLizard]

Here is a nice little article to read of 1 person's opinion.



http://goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2017/5/5/watch-the-hands-not-the-cards-the-magic-of-megabrew

That's an excellent analysis of how marketing, accounting, big business, and big money play with consumers' perception and buying habits.

It's a disgrace, much worse than the worst anyone could have thought!

 

[Cape Brewing]

It's a great article and gives a lot of valuable insight but I think it largely skims over one really big factor in the market that is only getting to be more and more important and that's the concept of "local".

There is an intangible, yet very significant, value in customers being able to go to "their" local brewery where they know the actual brewer and can sit and talk with friends and locals. That's something that Inbev will never be able to reproduce, I don't care how many breweries they buy.... since... once a brewery sells to Inbev, to a huge chunk of their customers, they are no longer the local place they know... they are a global conglomerate owned by foreign shareholders and corporations.

I see that as Inbev's biggest challenge and I don't know how they overcome that

 

[bob1852]

It's a great article and gives a lot of valuable insight but I think it largely skims over one really big factor in the market that is only getting to be more and more important and that's the concept of "local".

There is an intangible, yet very significant, value in customers being able to go to "their" local brewery where they know the actual brewer and can sit and talk with friends and locals. That's something that Inbev will never be able to reproduce, I don't care how many breweries they buy.... since... once a brewery sells to Inbev, to a huge chunk of their customers, they are no longer the local place they know... they are a global conglomerate owned by foreign shareholders and corporations.

I see that as Inbev's biggest challenge and I don't know how they overcome that

Still gotta make good beer, though...

I avoid the "local" places that make poor beer (and there's LOTS of them popping up), have bad customer service, poor atmosphere, etc.; and have no problem going to a place acquired by InBev if the beer is good, good customer service, etc...

And, I can still talk to the local brewer, even if paycheck now comes from the evil overlords.

Ultimately for me it's about customer experience...

 

[applescrap]

Still gotta make good beer, though...

I avoid the "local" places that make poor beer (and there's LOTS of them popping up), have bad customer service, poor atmosphere, etc.; and have no problem going to a place acquired by InBev if the beer is good, good customer service, etc...

And, I can still talk to the local brewer, even if paycheck now comes from the evil overlords.

Ultimately for me it's about customer experience...

Very similar thoughts from me. Glad you posted, because I bailed on my original post. Its likely to be the same people, they will just get paid more. And if it's not the same people that could be a good thing, or bad.

 

[rodwha]

Its likely to be the same people, they will just get paid more. And if it's not the same people that could be a good thing, or bad.

Just like the employees from Becks and the others like them?

 

[Cape Brewing]

Still gotta make good beer, though...



I avoid the "local" places that make poor beer (and there's LOTS of them popping up), have bad customer service, poor atmosphere, etc.; and have no problem going to a place acquired by InBev if the beer is good, good customer service, etc...



And, I can still talk to the local brewer, even if paycheck now comes from the evil overlords.



Ultimately for me it's about customer experience...

Oh absolutely... without a doubt. Agree 100%. But, I still that it is an inherent advantage that those places have. If they eff it up, that's their own fault and likely their own death sentence.

Sorry (edit)... and yeah, I agree on still being able to connect locally with a place like Wicked Weed but I think a large portion of the consumer base feels differently about "selling out" (hence the backlash against WW)

 

[applescrap]

Just like the employees from Becks and the others like them?

Cmon man, an ice cold becks. Wtf, we know the wicked weed people got a little cash, albeit we don't know who, how much or why. But those men likely deserved some reward, I doubt seriously they feel to f..ked over in the grand scheme of things. Look I am willing to take up cause with you but dont feel its that time yet. Granted they play chess with future moves, but ultimately there are colleges churning out brewbots and money interested, and hops, and great grains and regardless of whose paying checks, us consumers will benefit.

If the theory is that they are going to napalm all of the hop fields and destroy all of the grain forcing us to drink bud then that would suck, but whose buying that. The more this discussion goes on I almost want a job with them, i love beer and super upward mobility. Just was thinking that they bought all the south african hops. Does that mean I will get some soon in wicked weed beers. Having trouble being mad about that.

 

[rodwha]

Still gotta make good beer, though...

I avoid the "local" places that make poor beer (and there's LOTS of them popping up), have bad customer service, poor atmosphere, etc.; and have no problem going to a place acquired by InBev if the beer is good, good customer service, etc...

And, I can still talk to the local brewer, even if paycheck now comes from the evil overlords.

Ultimately for me it's about customer experience...

Between San Antonio and Austin I've yet to sample something that was poor. Granted I skipped Jester King as they make sours now that they got an infection. But that's one place out of nearly a score. And I'm not judging the styles I don't care that much for. Central Texas just st isn't the plac I'd think of for craft beer either. Maybe we all have our issues...

 

[rodwha]

Cmon man, an ice cold becks. Wtf, we know the wicked weed people got a little cash, albeit we don't know who, how much or why. But those men likely deserved some reward, I doubt seriously they feel to f..ked over in the grand scheme of things. Look I am willing to take up cause with you but dont feel its that time yet. Granted they play chess with future moves, but ultimately there are colleges churning out brewbots and money interested, and hops, and great grains and regardless of whose paying checks, us consumers will benefit.

If the theory is that they are going to napalm all of the hop fields and destroy all of the grain forcing us to drink bud then that would suck, but whose buying that. The more this discussion goes on I almost want a job with them, i love beer and super upward mobility. Just was thinking that they bought all the south african hops. Does that mean I will get some soon in wicked weed beers. Having trouble being mad about that.

You've said plenty. And I've pointed out plenty. And you've accepted plenty but still accept that despite what's bad about it you get cheaper beer. There's not much more to say than that. I obviously can't help you as you refuse to see it, though you claim to see it in other ways. It's quite maddening actually. It makes no sense on your part. But you are free to be you and do what you will.

 

[rodwha]

Cmon man, an ice cold becks. Wtf, we know the wicked weed people got a little cash, albeit we don't know who, how much or why. But those men likely deserved some reward, I doubt seriously they feel to f..ked over in the grand scheme of things. Look I am willing to take up cause with you but dont feel its that time yet. Granted they play chess with future moves, but ultimately there are colleges churning out brewbots and money interested, and hops, and great grains and regardless of whose paying checks, us consumers will benefit.

If the theory is that they are going to napalm all of the hop fields and destroy all of the grain forcing us to drink bud then that would suck, but whose buying that. The more this discussion goes on I almost want a job with them, i love beer and super upward mobility. Just was thinking that they bought all the south african hops. Does that mean I will get some soon in wicked weed beers. Having trouble being mad about that.

Oh, and the article specifiacally said who got a $10k bonus. A few managers. And for a manager $10k isn't as a big of a deal as it would be for the dude who carried the grain sacks from the truck. Get real. A few people is nothing. You apparently have no idea. You are clueless both in the business and what AB/InBev does. Go back to your sand pile and burry your head and be happy with cheap "craft" beer.

 

[rodwha]

Cmon man, an ice cold becks. Wtf, we know the wicked weed people got a little cash, albeit we don't know who, how much or why. But those men likely deserved some reward, I doubt seriously they feel to f..ked over in the grand scheme of things. Look I am willing to take up cause with you but dont feel its that time yet. Granted they play chess with future moves, but ultimately there are colleges churning out brewbots and money interested, and hops, and great grains and regardless of whose paying checks, us consumers will benefit.

If the theory is that they are going to napalm all of the hop fields and destroy all of the grain forcing us to drink bud then that would suck, but whose buying that. The more this discussion goes on I almost want a job with them, i love beer and super upward mobility. Just was thinking that they bought all the south african hops. Does that mean I will get some soon in wicked weed beers. Having trouble being mad about that.

"...but ultimately there are colleges churning out brewbots and money interested, and hops, and great grains and regardless of whose paying checks, us consumers will benefit."

What???

 

[rodwha]

"If the theory is that they are going to napalm all of the hop fields and destroy all of the grain forcing us to drink bud then that would suck, but whose buying that. The more this discussion goes on I almost want a job with them, i love beer and super upward mobility. Just was thinking that they bought all the south african hops. Does that mean I will get some soon in wicked weed beers. Having trouble being mad about that."

And that's the completely abstract ridiculous outlook that shows shortsightedness. All you want is cheap beer and more of it.

 

[applescrap]

Congratulations rodwha on being added to my ignore list. It's the greatest thing that ever lived. I'll never see any of these posts or any of your other posts ever again. Have a nice life.

 

[passedpawn]

You apparently have no idea. You are clueless both in the business and what AB/InBev does. Go back to your sand pile and burry your head and be happy with cheap "craft" beer.

Why did you quote craft? Do you think WW beer quality will change given its new ownership?

 

[Weezy]

The most damning information are the facts that they're attacking the market from all corners: their traditional grain and hop supply chains that are at industry leading price points; buying craft brands to control shelf and tap space by mimicing choice; buying homebrew national outlets to obtain and control those supply networks; and even cornering foreign markets like the recent South African hop debacle.

We can all buy local, but its not easy. Almost none of the local breweries have shelf space, and not much more tap space. Distributors sell to bars what wholesalers are pushing on them. The only bars that carry local are due to informed, in-house buyers with a passion for the craft....which isn't common.

One thing we can do is to go into the local bars, that have a modest number of taps and not much knowledge, and recommend they swap out that Goose Island IPA for a local beer. sure, keep the Coors Light that you sell the most of, but support local!

 

[bob1852]

The most damning information are the facts that they're attacking the market from all corners: their traditional grain and hop supply chains that are at industry leading price points; buying craft brands to control shelf and tap space by mimicing choice; buying homebrew national outlets to obtain and control those supply networks; and even cornering foreign markets like the recent South African hop debacle.

And yet...

http://fortune.com/2016/12/10/america-record-number-breweries/

 

[Syke]

And yet...

http://fortune.com/2016/12/10/america-record-number-breweries/

Yes, the craft market is growing, but it would be doing much better if it weren't for InBev's anti-competitive and predatory business practices.

 

[passedpawn]

Yes, the craft market is growing, but it would be doing much better if it weren't for InBev's anti-competitive and predatory business practices.

Fact: what AZ posted.
Supposition / completely made up: what you posted.

 

[rodwha]

Why did you quote craft? Do you think WW beer quality will change given its new ownership?

It no longer falls under the definition of craft anymore. WW's beers may well stay the same. Or they may end up like Bud, Bud Light, and Becks. It's unclear as to what all they sold. It sounds like a 50/50 partnership at times, and at others it's stated as a buyout. That may well have a lot to do with where WW goes from here.

 

[rodwha]

And yet...

http://fortune.com/2016/12/10/america-record-number-breweries/

You do realize it takes a fair amount of time. This isn't an overnight ordeal, and it won't exactly be all encompassing, but it will have a major impact.

 

[rodwha]

Fact: what AZ posted.
Supposition / completely made up: what you posted.

Not made up at all. I've been to many places where almost every tap was an AB/InBev product. And AB/InBev is under government scrutiny for breaking the law concerning what beers are sold at bars giving them products for their compliance. That's hardly a supposition or made up.

 

[Syke]

Fact: what AZ posted.
Supposition / completely made up: what you posted.

What do you call "paying distributors to not carry independent craft beers"?

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-a-b-i-craftbeers-probe-exclusive-idUSKCN0YG0EG

 

[bob1852]

It no longer falls under the definition of craft anymore.

Which definition of craft? The BA keeps changing it...

 

[Cape Brewing]

Which definition of craft? The BA keeps changing it...

Why so angry Skippy?

RDWHAHB

 

[bob1852]

Not made up at all. I've been to many places where almost every tap was an AB/InBev product.

And I've been to many places that have no AB/InBev products...

 

[bob1852]

Why so angry Skippy?

RDWHAHB

Not angry...just find the changes in definitions of "craft" comical.

Quit being so uppity.

 

[bob1852]

And I'm sure that Sierra Nevada moving to Ashville had no impact on Wicked Weed's market share potential at all. I mean, they're craft...

 

[rodwha]

Which definition of craft? The BA keeps changing it...

Not having less than 50% share for one.

Quite frankly I could care less how much they produce. For myself I classify Sam Adams as craft.

 

[rodwha]

And I've been to many places that have no AB/InBev products...

Certainly. Most of us have. There are many places that won't sell it as it's not craft beer, which is why most people go to establishments like that.