With a 15% year-over-year increase in sales, the craft beer industry is experiencing heady growth these days. Meanwhile, the big boys, led by Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD +1.17%), SABMiller, and Molson Coors (TAP 0.63%), are losing market share.
Keeping things in perspective, however, the largest craft brewer is Samuel Adams maker Boston Beer (SAM 4.76%), which has only a 1% market share. On top of that, the small brewers are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to distribution and economies of scale.
So how do they battle against the Big Buds of the world? Our Rex Moore asked that question at the recent 2013 Craft Brewers Conference in Washington, D.C. In the first of this series, Andy and Alicia Barr, co-founders of FiftyFifty Brewing in Truckee, Calif., explain their strategy.
