Comment: brewers must adapt supply chains to the shift in drinking habits

Europe’s brewing sector is experiencing radical change, similar in many respects to retail’s omni-channel revolution. According to statistics released in 2015 by industry trade body The Brewers of Europe, there are over 6,500 breweries in operation – 1,000 of these started up in 2014, representing a 16% increase on 2013 and a doubling since 2008.

However, this explosive growth in the number of breweries does not reflect any real increase in the volume of beer being consumed. Instead, it depicts a ...