I suppose I should not care. My interest in good beer and industrial brewing simply don't align. Yet reading this stuff in the business section of the Globe and Mail just seems sad:
Mr. Scott says discounting has become a big factor in the Canadian beer market, and this is “a huge challenge for mainstream beers such as Molson Canadian to remain price competitive without devaluing the brand.” He said Mr. Perkins' central assignment is clear: “What is absolutely key is to protect and build the market share for their more profitable brands.” While Coors Light and Molson Canadian spin off significant profits because of the sheer volume of sales, the premium products such as Rickard's and Creemore are potentially even more profitable, Mr. Scott said. These are “relatively underdeveloped,” and face intense competition from imports and microbrewery products, he said.
Now this can be good news. Mr. Beaumont has made me recently want to hunt out a new Molsons Coors product, Creemore Springs Kellerbier. Yet the rest of the article seems to be only about market share, the label that's on the outside and how to trick the consumer rather than by making the best product. To a beer geek this should be a surprise? But could you sell a car or a loaf of bread or a computer by so openly describing a business model that is not about the quality of the product?
Or is that naive? Is big beer so separate from craft beer that how Molson Coors acts is irrelevant?
Comments
The Professor - July 20, 2009 5:33 pm
Good beer is good beer regardless of who brews it, so I would disagree with the idea that big beer is separate from craft beer. Both segments are in the same business (making beer) and for the same reason (to make money). The micro segment as definitely reawakened consumer's tastebuds, mostly in a good way (even if they appear to be on a mission to get consumer tastebuds accustomed to massive hoppiness hiding a multitude of faults beneath the surface). They have also created a monster: the nouveau beer snob. The pontificating I hear at my local haunt has really begun to grate on me. It makes me want to order a Michelob (actually, not a bad choice either).
Despite that, my beer sensibility and tastes, like yours, do definitely lie more with the small brewers and the dwindling traditional brewers in other countries (I am in the US) as opposed to the "bigs"...but certainly not exclusively. I have no special allegiance to the micro industry even though I largely enjoy their products. If anything, I've become concerned about the increasingly inflated prices I pay for many of their products. That often considerable price premium should be an indicator of quality but far too often lately, it is has most definitely not been.
As a result I have nothing against the industrial brewers who are beginning to jump on the craft bandwagon. I will generally try a new "craft" product from the bigs to see if one of the mega brewers have finally gotten it right (they SHOULD be able to do it better than anyone...I think most will agree that so far it has been hit-or-miss) .
But really, the size of the manufacturer is of little importance to me, and in no way to I feel "hoodwinked" drinking a craft beer from a big brewer. The craft, after all, is in the making and not the size of the operation.
Some will definitely disagree, but hey...everyone's tastebuds (and perspective) are unique. At least there's a LOT of choice these days.
Man 1 - July 20, 2009 8:57 pm
I completely see where you are coming from. A great product should be great regardless of the advertising involved. Taking a beer and advertising because you have won a gold medals is one thing - dropping price to get it out of the door is another. I suppose the economist who works for Molson likely drinks the best quality since that gives the most utility. He, like us appreciates the best beer has to offer.