Disciplines
Food Science
Mentor
Gregg Dimkoff
Abstract
What is craft beer? When it comes down to an exact definition, the answer is highly disputed. That being said, the general consensus is that craft beer is manufactured independently, within a small scale operation, and the beer is made using traditional ingredients, such as barley, malt, and hops (Kraftchick, Byrd, Canziani, & Gladwell, 2014). In recent years, craft beer has become a cultural staple of Grand Rapids. Known as “Beer City, U.S.A.”, the city itself contains 16 different breweries, not to mention the additional 42 breweries within 45 minutes of downtown (Boomgaard, Ringler of Cedar Springs Brewing: Brewery closures possible as crowded industry becomes 'less forgiving', 2016). Since the industry has experienced such rapid growth, it has called into question whether the market is reaching a saturation point. In response to this, I have compiled a series of scholarly articles, interviews, and data variables, in the hopes that this analysis will provide an answer.
ScholarWorks Citation
Sillanpaa, Peter, "Market Saturation: An Analysis of the Grand Rapids Craft Beer Industry" (2017). Honors Projects. 617.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/honorsprojects/617
