If you’re a brewer or cider-maker—or any beverage biz that kegs your product—you know things are tighter than they used to be. Rising costs. Slower growth. Contracted volumes. More competition. The 2025 data doesn’t sugarcoat it. But there is opportunity—and we can help you seize it.
🍺 Where Things Stand in the Beer & Craft Market (2025)
Here are some of the latest findings from sources like the Brewers Association, Craft Brewing Business, and others:
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In 2024, craft brewers produced 23.1 million barrels of beer, down 4% from 2023. (The Brewer Magazine)
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While craft beer’s volume dropped, its retail dollar value increased to ~$$28.9 billion, up about 3% year-over-year—driven in part by price increases, and stronger performance in taprooms/brewpubs compared to distribution. (The Brewer Magazine)
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The number of operating craft breweries declined slightly. As of June 2025, there were 9,269 craft breweries, down 1% from the same time in 2024. (Brewers Association)
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Some business models are faring better: taprooms and brewpubs are holding up relatively well versus distribution-focused breweries. Smaller breweries (esp. under 1,000 barrels/year) are seeing a bit more growth. (Craft Brewing Business)
Bottom line: fewer breweries are growing; many are being squeezed by costs, by reduced demand in distribution channels, rising raw material and packaging expenses, and tighter consumer budgets.
💡 Where You Can Find Leverage — What You Can Do
When the margins get squeezed, every cost and every piece of overhead matters—even small things like keg collars, wraps, etc. Here’s how being strategic can help you retain branding, compliance, and quality — without stretching your budget past its limit.
📦 How Keg Collars Network Can Help You Right Now
We understand these challenges intimately. Our family-owned business in Bend, Oregon has been serving beverage keggery needs for 30+ years; our sales pro has been in your world for over 20. We see where the pinch is: packaging costs, minimum purchase sizes, waste, reprints, etc.
Here’s how we can help you stay nimble, save money, and maintain a strong brand presence:
🧰 What This Looks Like in Practice
Here’s an example of how this plays out:
Say you currently order traditional-size collars—big ones—that cost you $X each. You need 500, but your budget only really allows $0.7× that. Ordering fewer causes your per-unit cost to spike.
But with our eco-size collar:
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Material cost per collar is reduced (less substrate, less shipping weight)
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You can order, for instance, just 100 or 200 units without paying large-order premiums
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You still get your logo, mandatory labeling, and enough visual space to stay on-brand
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Faster production + smaller orders mean less inventory carrying cost, less risk of over-ordering designs you’ll want to change later
✅ Call to Action
If you're wondering whether this is something worth trying, here’s a suggestion:
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Reach out to us with your current collar size + artwork
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Ask for a mock-up in the eco-size version so you can see how your design looks scaled down
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Try a small batch to compare cost savings and visual impact
We’d be happy to run you through some examples, get you pricing, and help you transition without stress.
Quality • Speed • Value — at the size you need
Email us to learn more!
mike@kegcollars.net