Ahead of Memorial Day, New Beer Industry Report Boasts $409 Billion in Economic Impact

WASHINGTON – Ahead of Memorial Day weekend and the start of the summer selling season, the Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) released their biennial Beer Serves America report today on the economic impact and importance of the American brewing industry. The study found that the U.S. beer industry now supports nearly 2.4 million local jobs and contributes more than $409 billion to our economy – equivalent to 1.6% of GDP. The beer industry also pays more than $132 billion in wages and $63.8 billion in taxes.

These economic figures represent substantial growth in the two years since the beer industry conducted the 2020 Beer Serves America study, which provided a snapshot of the significant pandemic challenges facing the hospitality industry and manufacturers. Since the last Beer Serves America report, the industry has expanded significantly, with an uptick of $78 billion in economic impact while adding nearly 400,000 new beer industry jobs across the country. The beer industry leads the rest of the alcohol industry in economic impact and job footprint, and beer remains America’s favorite alcohol beverage.

Of the nearly 2.4 million jobs the beer industry supports, these jobs fall in a multitude of labor sectors across the country. That includes 92,159 brewer and beer importer jobs, 77,847 manufacturing jobs, 137,420 distribution jobs, 52,220 agricultural jobs and 979,805 retail jobs.

Beer continues to be America’s favorite alcohol beverage because of its cultural heritage, its important place in our nation’s history and its unique ability to bring people together,” said Brian Crawford, president and CEO of the Beer Institute. “Americans have more options and ways to enjoy their favorite brews than ever because our $409 billion industry is competitive, vibrant and a crucial part of the American economy. 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. The beer industry has always had a storied place in American culture and commerce, and as these new figures confirm, we have an incredibly bright future ahead of us.

This report demonstrates the incredible success of the beer industry, which provides good jobs and significant economic activity in communities across the country. It also gives us insight into how our industry is impacted by the current economic climate. 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,” said Craig Purser, president and CEO of the National Beer Wholesalers Association. “So, as you’re enjoying your favorite beer or beverage this coming Memorial Day Weekend, raise a glass to the hardworking men and women of the beer industry – from brewers to distributors to retailers – who made it possible.

Beer Serves America by the Numbers:

Jobs: 2,372,846
Wages: $132,588,856,000
Economic Output: $409,240,213,400
Taxes Paid: $63,810,490,000

Beer Serves America is a biennial report outlining the economic contributions, jobs and taxes the beer industry provides in every state and congressional district. More information is available at: http://beerservesamerica.org/

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