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Beer contributes $409 billion to US economy, research finds
The beer industry in the US is worth more than US$409 billion, a major uptick since 2020, a new report has found.
The Beer Serves America report, released by the Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) today, revealed the major contribution that the brewing industry continues to have on the US economy, particularly following the Covid-induced challenges which plagued the industry in previous years.
The biennial study found that the US beer industry now supports nearly 2.4 million local jobs and contributes more than $409 billion to the US economy – equivalent to 1.6% of GDP.
Beer is also vital to assisting with employment rates in the country, with the industry paying for more than $132 billion in wages and $63.8 billion in taxes.
Jobs filled by the country’s workers include 92,159 brewer and beer importers, 77,847 manufacturing positions, 137,420 distribution jobs, 52,220 agricultural jobs and 979,805 retail jobs.
Both the economic impact and the number of jobs in the beer industry have seen an impact since the last Beer Serves America report published in 2020, which provided a snapshot of the significant pandemic challenges facing the hospitality industry and manufacturers.
Since then, the industry has expanded significantly, contributing an extra $78 billion to the economy, and adding nearly 400,000 new beer industry jobs across the country.
Brian Crawford, president and CEO of the Beer Institute, called the $409bn industry “competitive, vibrant and a crucial part of the American economy”.
He added: “The tremendous growth we’ve seen since our last report is a true success story that underscores beer’s striking recovery coming out of the pandemic and showcases the resilience of our industry and the 2.4 million Americans it employs.”
However, the report also highlights how the industry is responding to the current economic climate, and the sector is not out of the woods yet when it comes to inflation and rising costs.
Craig Purser, president and CEO of the NBWA, explained: “We are proud that wages for beer and beverage distribution employees have kept up with inflation, providing quality jobs with excellent benefits. Yet distributors still face significant labor challenges, from CDL drivers to workers to load trucks. And it underscores the continued importance of supporting independent local retailers, particularly with the growth of national retail chains.”