https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/beer-varieties-may-take-hit-aluminum-can-shortageBy Michael Hollan | Fox News
It might be time to think twice before cracking open a cold one.
An aluminum can shortage has reportedly started to impact the beer industry. This has prompted some brewers to scale back on the variety of brands being sold.
Some beer brewers have had to scale back production on some of the smaller brands in order to keep the more popular varieties in stock. (iStock)
Molson Coors, Brooklyn Brewery, and Karl Strauss have moved production away from the smaller brands in response to the shortage, KITV 4 reports. The companies reportedly made this decision to ensure that they had enough cans available to keep their biggest brands from going out of stock.
A side effect of this, not surprisingly, is that these smaller brands may be harder to find, leading to shortages.
A variety of causes has led to this situation. According to KITV 4, beer sold in cans increased from 50 percent in 2010 to 60 percent in 2019. When the coronavirus pandemic struck, people started stocking up on items, including beer. Apparently, shoppers prefer to stock up on easily stored cans as opposed to bottles.
Beer makers aren’t the only businesses impacted by the aluminum can shortage. Soda makers have reportedly had to make similar cuts to their brands and focus on the most popular flavors.
Fox News previously reported that when a fan took to Twitter to question why they were having trouble finding Cherry Coke Zero, the company responded by explaining, “We are seeing greater demand for products consumed at home & taking measures to adapt, working to mitigate the challenge during this unprecedented time. We appreciate your loyalty to our beverages; please know that we're working hard to keep the products you love on the shelves.”