I’d be looking hard at growing a network or small scale brew pubs in Northern California to 1) create brand homes that reestablish what Anchor stands for, 2) grow associations outside of Steam and Christmas, and 3) benefit from on-premise margins and drive package sales.
I don't think I'd personally want the Taprooms anywhere besides SF, but having one by the ballparks and a few other hubs would be smart. To each their own though.
Good points as per usual. Perhaps the focus on home will work. But NorCal is a very saturated, very challenging market with numerous highly credentialed local brands attempting the same strategy. Suspect the local chains will give the brand another shot, but distributor network there will be tough and crucial to success. Perhaps the glory days of Anchor Steam are sufficiently far in the past that the next generation of drinkers will discover it as their own as something other than a legacy brand. As mentioned how one competes with such a high cost facility operating far below its capacity has to be troubling. All that being said a rich, accomplished, passionate billionaire as the new owner is far from the worst outcome. Big tell will be who he hires to run things. Are you looking to move back? :)
Like you said, sell it only in Northern California, Tahoe and maybe southern Oregon. They need to be at Giants, 49ers, Warriors and Sharks games.
I feel like trying to go national is the death of craft brands not named Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams and is one of the key lessons from this cycle that is ending.
I’m curious about the packaging comment - I liked the new branding which made them appear more current, something that while I’ve been a fan for 30+ yrs, I thought needed to happen to increase brand awareness. Different style of beer that I think needed a refresh or was going to struggle to compete. I didn’t mind because I know the product but you had to get up close to see what it was, and I’m not sure the public is able to do that so much these days. I’m glad he’s the one buying and I’m hopeful, packaging or not :)
I've never seen a packaging refresh so hated. Any time I bring up Anchor on my socials, I just get that comment over and over again about how much people hated the new look. It didn't bother me as much as most, but I think bringing back the OG or something very similar to it is the right move.
I’d be looking hard at growing a network or small scale brew pubs in Northern California to 1) create brand homes that reestablish what Anchor stands for, 2) grow associations outside of Steam and Christmas, and 3) benefit from on-premise margins and drive package sales.
I don't think I'd personally want the Taprooms anywhere besides SF, but having one by the ballparks and a few other hubs would be smart. To each their own though.
Good points as per usual. Perhaps the focus on home will work. But NorCal is a very saturated, very challenging market with numerous highly credentialed local brands attempting the same strategy. Suspect the local chains will give the brand another shot, but distributor network there will be tough and crucial to success. Perhaps the glory days of Anchor Steam are sufficiently far in the past that the next generation of drinkers will discover it as their own as something other than a legacy brand. As mentioned how one competes with such a high cost facility operating far below its capacity has to be troubling. All that being said a rich, accomplished, passionate billionaire as the new owner is far from the worst outcome. Big tell will be who he hires to run things. Are you looking to move back? :)
Like you said, sell it only in Northern California, Tahoe and maybe southern Oregon. They need to be at Giants, 49ers, Warriors and Sharks games.
I feel like trying to go national is the death of craft brands not named Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams and is one of the key lessons from this cycle that is ending.
I’m curious about the packaging comment - I liked the new branding which made them appear more current, something that while I’ve been a fan for 30+ yrs, I thought needed to happen to increase brand awareness. Different style of beer that I think needed a refresh or was going to struggle to compete. I didn’t mind because I know the product but you had to get up close to see what it was, and I’m not sure the public is able to do that so much these days. I’m glad he’s the one buying and I’m hopeful, packaging or not :)
I've never seen a packaging refresh so hated. Any time I bring up Anchor on my socials, I just get that comment over and over again about how much people hated the new look. It didn't bother me as much as most, but I think bringing back the OG or something very similar to it is the right move.