Craft beer sales were up 12 percent by volume and 16 percent in dollar sales for 2007, the Brewers Association, Boulder, Colo., reported last week. Shipments increased 11.9 million cases last year, and dollar sales equaled more than $5.74 billion.
The association also reported that 1,449 total breweries operated in the United States during 2007, including 1,406 craft brewers. The craft segment’s share of the beer category is 3.8 percent of production and 5.9 percent of retail sales.
“Since 2004, dollar sales by craft brewers have increased 58 percent,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “The strength of this correlates with the American trend of buying local products and a preference for more flavorful foods and beers.”
The Brewers Association plans to release its full report at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego in April. For trends on the entire beer industry, look for the 2008 Beer Report in Beverage Industry’s April issue.
