ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Just ahead of Memorial Day, which marks one of the top beer selling holidays of the year and the start of the summer beer selling season, a new economic impact study shows America's beer industry contributes $2 billion annually to Maine's economy and supports 15,531 jobs in the state.
Jointly commissioned by the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) and the Beer Institute, the study shows that the 15,531 jobs impacted by the beer industry in Maine account for $595 million each year in wages and benefits. The industry also generates $368 million annually in business, personal and consumption taxes.
The beer industry is made up of three distinct partners that work together to get beer to customers: brewers and importers, independent beer distributors and licensed retailers. This system has created more choice and variety in America's beer market than ever before.
NBWA President & CEO Craig Purser said, "America's 3,000 independent beer distribution companies are proud to employ 141,600 hardworking Americans with jobs that pay a collective $9.5 billion in wages, offer solid benefits and provide the opportunity for advancement. Independent beer distributors are Main Street businesses whose economic contributions are felt in every community and congressional district across the country as they work with brewers large and small to grow brands and safely deliver America's favorite alcohol beverage to more than 640,000 licensed retailers nationwide."
Beer Institute President & CEO Jim McGreevy said, "Beer is more than America's most popular alcohol beverage. The beer industry is vital to the United States, generating more than 2 million jobs and contributing $328 billion to the American economy. Beer Serves America demonstrates how brewers, beer importers and beer industry suppliers are creating jobs, providing wages and benefits to working Americans and supporting the economy in every state and every congressional district."
According to the study, the beer industry generates more than $328 billion in economic activity, produces more than $58.6 billion in tax revenue and supports more than 2 million jobs. Independent beer distributors directly employ 141,600 Americans, an increase of more than 19 percent in the last decade. Brewers and beer importers directly employ 69,928 Americans, and about 58 percent of brewing jobs are linked to large and mid-sized brewers and beer importers.
The Beer Serves America study was compiled by the independent economics firm John Dunham & Associates. It is the most comprehensive analysis of the industry available, using data collected directly from private companies, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents the interests of America's nearly 3,000 licensed, independent beer distributor operations in every state, congressional district and media market across the country. Beer distributors are committed to ensuring alcohol is provided safely and responsibly to consumers of legal drinking age through the three-tier, state-based system of alcohol regulation and distribution. To learn more about America's beer distributors, visit www.AmericasBeerDistributors.com. For additional updates from NBWA, follow @NBWABeer on Twitter, like NBWA on Facebook, follow NBWA on Instagram and subscribe to NBWA's YouTube channel.
The Beer Institute is a national trade association for the American brewing industry, representing both large and small brewers, as well as importers and industry suppliers. First founded in 1862 as the U.S. Brewers Association, the Beer Institute is committed today to the development of sound public policy and to the values of civic duty and personal responsibility: www.BeerInstitute.org. Connect with us @BeerInstitute and on Facebook
