Navigating the maturing craft beer industry: TailGate Brewery’s path to success
Despite this downturn, some breweries have figured out a successful formula and are thriving in the market. One standout example is TailGate Brewery.
As the United States craft beer industry evolves, leaving behind the heady days of double-digit expansion and nonstop market growth, the road to success for breweries has become much more complex.
As the United States craft beer industry matures, leaving behind the heady days of double-digit growth and nonstop market expansion, the road to success for breweries has become much more complicated.
Today, creating a great product and packaging it in a flashy bottle or can is no longer sufficient. Breweries must execute on multiple levels to ensure their beers end up in consumers’ hands.
Changing Landscape of Craft Beer
This harsh truth has played out in headlines across publications, including Forbes, highlighting the shift to negative growth for an industry once deemed untouchable.
According to the Brewers Association, craft beer finished 2023 down 1.0%, with a record 409 closures spread across brewpubs, taprooms, microbreweries, and larger regional craft breweries.
Also read: Japan’s Fast Retailing Forecasts Record Profits Amid Strong Sales
Despite this downturn, some breweries have figured out a successful formula and are thriving in the market. One standout example is TailGate Brewery.
TailGate Brewery’s Formula for Success
TailGate Brewery, founded in 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee, has been on a remarkable growth trajectory. Over the past two years, the brewery has opened six taprooms and pizza parlors across the state.
Its latest location in Murfreesboro offers the same successful formula that has propelled the company forward: thirty TailGate brews on tap, pub-worthy pizzas, and an enthusiastic and welcoming staff.
The People Behind the Success
According to founder and owner Wesley Keegan, the key to TailGate Brewery’s success lies in its people. “I realized early into this journey that the only way we could do the things I wanted to do, which was to be the best brewery in Tennessee, I needed the best people,” Keegan explained.
To attract and retain top talent, TailGate Brewery offers 100% healthcare to every employee, continually updates wages to ensure they are the best in the industry, and provides a 401K match. “This has helped us create a dedicated team that has bought into our mission and has helped us drive sales,” Keegan added.
Thriving Amidst Challenges
TailGate Brewery’s commitment to its employees and its strategic approach to business have allowed it to thrive even as the broader craft beer industry faces challenges.
By focusing on quality products, exceptional service, and a supportive work environment, TailGate Brewery sets a standard for success in the evolving craft beer landscape.
