On behalf of the Arizona Craft Brewer’s Guild, the Arizona Hospitality Research & Resource Center with help from the Arizona Rural Policy Institute, and units of the Center for Business Outreach at Northern Arizona University’s The W. A. Franke College of Business, created a document called the “Economic Contributions of the Craft Brewing Industry to the State of Arizona” (PDF). According to their findings:
- The Total Economic Impact of Arizona Craft Brewing on Arizona in 2011 was $278 million.
- Overall, in 2011, Arizona craft brewers had economic impacts of:
- Direct economic contribution of $152 million;
- Indirect economic contribution of $59.1 million; and
- Induced economic contribution of $66.9 million.
- This economic activity produced a total of 3,486 jobs (direct, indirect and induced).
- In 2011 Arizona had a total of 33 active craft breweries, 79% of which were members of the Arizona Craft Brewer’s Guild.
- Nationally, the volume and gross sales of craft-brewed beers have grown by double digits in the past three years while overall beer sales have declined.
- Most of Arizona’s craft breweries operate under microbrewery licenses (31%) that distribute nearly all of their own product; 12% operate as brewery-themed restaurants; beer and wine bars constitute 8% of operators; another third (31%) operate as a combination of microbrewery/restaurants; and, the remaining 19.2% operate under a variety of license types.
- Half of these operations are located in Maricopa County (49%), followed by Coconino County (18%), Pima County (12%), Yavapai and Mohave (9% each), and Cochise County (3%).
- The oldest continuously operating craft brewery in Arizona was started in 1991; the average age of craft breweries in the state is 7.6 years (median is 4.5 years).
- These craft brewers produced over 119,000 barrels of beer in 2011, an increase of 22% over 2010; production has increased more than 20% per year over each of the past three years.
- Most craft beer production in Arizona is distributed through kegs to bars and restaurants (about 60%); next is on-site consumption in brewpubs and restaurants (about 20% of production); followed by distribution in bottles (about 20%); distribution in cans is minimal but is growing at a rapid pace.
- The Arizona craft brewing industry had estimated total direct sales of $77.2 million in 2011.
- Beer sales accounted for the largest portion at $37.7 million.
- Restaurant/food sales accounted for $32.4 million.
- Other alcohol sales on-site accounted for $6.3 million.
- Miscellaneous retail accounted for $856,000.
- Craft brew enterprises that offer both beer and food sales tend to have much larger annual revenues than those that sell beer only.
- In 2011, Arizona craft brewers paid almost $10 million in state sales taxes ($9.69 million), and an additional $1.4 million in federal ($833,749) and state ($590,771) excise or luxury taxes.
- The industry employs more full-time (58%) than part-time (42%) workers.
- The total annual payroll in 2011 by Arizona craft brewers was an estimated $23 million.
- Arizona’s craft brewers were asked to rate (on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is extremely positive) how positively they feel their industry will perform in 2012 – the response was a resounding 4.5 – or extremely positive!
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PODCAST
Special visit from Mark Schnepf of Schnepf Farms talks about pickin’ those farm fresh peaches! Different types of peaches means early ripening and longer season. It’s something this year’s Agritainment Park families can enjoy!
Plus, a special visit from Rob Fullmer of The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild talks about the over 100 Arizona microbreweries who create Arizona brewed beers and the world class barley grown in ‘State 48’! Both joined by Arizona Farm Bureau’s Julie Murphree.
