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Breweries in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Christopher Lombardo Christopher Lombardo New York, United States Last Updated: July 2024 NAICS 31212

Revenue

$35.1bn

2024

$35.1bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

91,792

Businesses

9,556

Wages

$X.Xbn

Breweries in the US industry analysis

The brewery landscape has shifted considerably over the past five years as smaller brewpubs and microbreweries have inundated the market, absorbing consumer demand from established industry giants. Still, multinational breweries continue to expand their geographic footprints and acquire some of these smaller players to diversify their portfolios. Competition among smaller breweries has intensified amid the market saturation and has been exacerbated by the rise of substitute alcoholic beverages, like ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. The greatest inhibitor to breweries' growth over the past five years was COVID-19, which crippled nearly half the market for beer when on-premise drinking sites were forced to shut down. As a result, brewery revenue has been declining at a CAGR of 0.5% over the past five years and is expected to fall 0.8% in 2024 alone, when revenue will reach $35.1 billion.

Trends and Insights

  • Breweries expand by innovating product lines and flavor profiles. Consumers with adventurous palates make up an increasingly larger share of beer drinkers.
  • The craft beer boom is slowing down, with craft beer sales declining in recent years. Most of the nearly 3,000 breweries that have emerged over the past five years are considered craft, intensifying competition among these small-scale producers.
  • Breweries settle in temperate climates like California and the broader West coast. Warm weather encourages live events and social outings where beer is typically present.
  • RTD cocktails appeal to younger drinkers and siphon this market away from breweries. Craft breweries typically target younger consumers that are more open-minded; this same demographic is drawn to new RTD cocktails.

Access hundreds of analysis and data

  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $35.1bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Brewers fail to sustain growth during volatile conditions

  • COVID-19 presented significant challenges for breweries as key downstream markets, particularly on-premise locales, like restaurants and bars, temporarily shut down or experienced substantial operational difficulties.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Breweries in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Competition will escalate, driving change among small and large breweries alike

  • The rush of new microbreweries and brewpubs to the market will persist over the next five years as companies seek to capitalize on fleeting consumer tastes, driving nascent brewers to develop their brand identities.

Biggest companies in the Breweries in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Molson Coors Beverage Company
3,740.8
467.4
12.5
Anheuser-Busch Inbev Sa
3,128.3
807.5
25.8
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
180.0
3.9
2.2

To view the market share and analysis for all 9 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Breweries in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Premium beer, Sub-premium beer and Super-premium beer. Premium beer is the largest segment of the Breweries in the US.

Trends and Insights

Premiumization sweeps the nation

  • Lagers are considered premium if they contain more than 4.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), while ales with more than 4.2% ABV are defined as premium.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The Breweries industry primarily produces alcoholic beverages made from malted barley and hops such as beer, malt liquor and nonalcoholic beer. This industry excludes wine, brandy, cider and distilled beverages such as vodka and rum. Bottling purchased malt beverages and manufacturing purchased malt are also excluded from this industry.

What's included in this industry?

Premium beerSub-premium beerSuper-premium beer Craft beerMalt beverages

Companies

Molson Coors Beverage CompanyAnheuser-Busch Inbev SaSierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Purchase this report to view all 9 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CRAFT BREWERMICROBREWERIESREGIONAL BREWERIESBREWPUBBARRELMALT BEVERAGEMALT LIQUORADJUNCTFINING AGENTSSPARGING

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 31212 - Breweries in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Breweries expand by innovating product lines and flavor profiles. Consumers with adventurous palates make up an increasingly larger share of beer drinkers.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

The craft beer boom is slowing down, with craft beer sales declining in recent years. Most of the nearly 3,000 breweries that have emerged over the past five years are consid...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Breweries settle in temperate climates like California and the broader West coast. Warm weather encourages live events and social outings where beer is typically present.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

RTD cocktails appeal to younger drinkers and siphon this market away from breweries. Craft breweries typically target younger consumers that are more open-minded; this same d...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Major breweries acquire foreign and craft brands to appeal to shifting consumer preferences for versatility. Younger generations surpassing the legal drinking age are more op...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Molson Coors Beverage Company's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Anheuser-Busch Inbev Sa's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.'s performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 6 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Molson Coors Beverage Company, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Anheuser-Busch Inbev Sa, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 6 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

COVID-19 spurred state governments to ease alcohol control laws. Sales of beer by restaurants and bars plummeted amid stay-at-home orders; several states temporarily permitte...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The emergence of small-scale breweries has boosted wage costs and squeezed profit for the breweries industry. Craft brewers are more labor-intensive and struggle to achieve e...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Breweries in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Breweries in the US industry in United States is $35.1bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Breweries in the US industry in 2024?

There are 9,556 businesses in the Breweries in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 7.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Breweries in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Breweries in the US industry in United States has been declining at a CAGR of 0.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Breweries in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Breweries in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Breweries in the US market in United States?

The biggest companies operating in the Breweries market in United States are Molson Coors Beverage Company, Anheuser-Busch Inbev Sa and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

What does the Breweries in the US in United States include?

Premium beer and Sub-premium beer are part of the Breweries in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Breweries in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Molson Coors Beverage Company.

How competitive is the Breweries in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Breweries in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Wineries in the US
  • Distilleries in the US

Complementors

  • Beer Wholesaling in the US
  • Beer, Wine & Liquor Stores in the US

International industries

  • Global Beer Manufacturing
  • Breweries in Canada
  • Beer Manufacturing in Australia
  • Beer Manufacturing in New Zealand
  • Beer Production in the UK

View all industries in United States

Methodology

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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

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