For many in the industry, a winter slowdown is predictable. The challenge isn’t knowing that January or February will be slower. It is having enough cash, inventory discipline and operating flexibility in place before those months arrive.
The size of that slowdown varies considerably by market and business model. At The Brewery on Half Moon Bay in California, CEO and President Craig Carroll said monthly sales can reach $1.3 million between June and October, while February can fall to $500,000.
At Birdsong Brewing Co. in Charlotte, Chris Goulet said the slowest month over the past year represented 73% of the revenue of the strongest month, with February almost always the weakest.
Odyssey Beerwerks President Christopher Hill sees a smaller Q4 decline but a much more pronounced Q1 slowdown for the Arvada, Colorado company. Q4 is generally about 10% below Q3, he said, while Q1 is “by far” the slowest quarter.
