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Saint Patrick’s Day and the new beer supply chain

The Saint Patrick’s Day

Cheers! Saint Patrick’s Day is now a celebration in numerous places across the North Atlantic. From Belfast to Chicago, people are dressed in green and consuming copious amounts of green beer.  

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and North Ireland. Many Christians believe that, in addition to introducing Christianity to Ireland, he banished all snakes from the island. True or not, the festivities enthralled many of us.  

The question that comes to mind, however, is regarding the beer. How the supply of so much beer occurs in such a short period of time? I mean, it’s not easy to manufacture beer; it takes a long time and a lot of raw materials to arrive early.  

Why is everything green on St. Patrick’s Day?

Saint Patrick most certainly did not dress entirely in green, neither did he consume green beer. For those who are wondering, food coloring is what turns beer green. However, in his sermons, he would carry a shamrock and compare it to the doctrine of the trinity.

The shamrock eventually gained a position in Irish society, and its bright green color became associated with festive traditions. What is a nice party without a well-defined theme, after all?

The beer supply chain  

The beer supply chain is a series of critical steps. It begins with the creation of formula and continues through production, brewing, bottling, and distribution to the customer. This journey from the field to the fridge includes obtaining necessary raw materials such as malt, hops, and yeast, as well as the people, manufacturing activities, knowledge, and resources involved in incorporating a beer into the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities.  

Multiple channel participants, including growers, brewers, distributors, and retailers, are within complex beer supply chains. Modern supply chains are built on the direct-to-consumer paradigm, which was made possible by the expansion of eCommerce and necessitated by the Covid-19 epidemic.  

New disruptions on beer supply chain  

Water, malt, hops, and yeast are examples of raw materials. For innovations and modifications to the traditional drink, additional ingredients such as chocolates, fruits, and coffee beans can participate in the recipe.  

In 2019, 39 million hectares of barley were harvested, according to estimates. Approximately 70% of that was utilized as animal feed, while the remaining 30%, or 11,817 hectares, was used to generate malt for beer brewing.  

Due to bad weather, bushfires, and other environmental catastrophes, the beer industry is currently experiencing a hop shortage. Climate change poses a genuine danger to the availability of raw materials in the beer supply chain, with rising temperatures diminishing soil moisture and droughts exacerbating water shortages.  

Furthermore, the Ramularia disease is wreaking havoc on barley crops, and the arable land area available for grain cultivation is diminishing. Consumer demand for sustainable crops and locally produced produce is and will continue to be important aspects of the beer supply chain. After all, it’s not only the beer that has to be green these days.  

Reducing costs  

Reducing waste in the beer supply chain is crucial for lowering costs, increasing profit margins, and boosting overall operational efficiency. Brewery software solutions are essential to minimize waste and increase profitability.  

Ingredients include both the raw components and the end product of beer brewing. Brewers can reduce spoiling waste by monitoring output, inventory stock, sales, and raw materials using logistics operating systems. An operating system uses real-time data to identify batch lots and use-by dates well ahead of deterioration.  

The solution  

Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the origin or source of raw materials, as well as the ethical footprint and sustainability of the items they purchase. This is especially true for craft beer fans.  

You must provide transparency to your customers, and to do so, you must have comprehensive visibility above your supply chain. The information you obtain demands integration and dependability.  

With all these difficulties in mind, Grydd creates a robust operating system capable of meeting all of your needs, want to see it? Simply click here