Your favorite brew of beer may be out of stock—and the reason may surprise you. There have been nationwide shortages of aluminum cans in all sizes amid increased demand, and some craft brewers may not survive the pandemic.
The Brewers Association, a not-for-profit trade association which represents thousands of brewers across the country, recently issued a can shortage advisory to its members. "All can sizes have had periods of shortage—16 ounce, 12 ounce, slim 12 ounce, and crowlers at various levels at various times," it wrote on July 31.
"Can supply is a big deal," Paul Gatza, senior vice president for the Brewers Association told CNN Business last month. "We are seeing extended wait times for can orders and also some of the smaller players not having orders fulfilled. Expect to hear more about can shortages across beverage companies."
With bars closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, beers that once may have been poured on tap are instead being consumed out of cans at home. But the problem traces back several years to "a dramatic shift to aluminum cans as the preferred package for craft beers," according to the Brewers Association.
Another contributing factor? The surge in sales of canned wines and cocktails. The White Claw craze which began last summer was much more than a trend, and it's now extending into the cold months now with new flavor varieties like Pumpkin Spice. Of course, competition for cans isn't limited to alcohol. There are also non-spiked seltzers and soft drinks, as well as coffee, energy drinks, and kombuchas.
Unfortunately, there is no easy or fast fix to increase supply to keep up with demand. More manufacturing capacity won't come until the end of 2021, according to the Brewers Association. Even large companies have been impacted by the shortages, and it "may threaten the ability to survive the pandemic for some craft brewers."
