Materials

The aluminum can manufacturer has agreed to delay until March 1 policy changes that disproportionately affect smaller, independent breweries.

Ball’s new minimum orders and higher prices have left independent brewers scrambling. Besides higher costs industry-wide, likely knock-on effects include streamlined SKUs, a return to labeling and shrink sleeves, and a boom in digital can printing.

Here’s how breweries are building in flexibility amid ongoing shortages, supply-chain headaches, labor crunches, and the rising costs that obfuscate next year’s forecasts.

Even as the shortage of aluminum cans gradually eases, supply-chain issues are wreaking havoc on price and availability. Here are specific tips for making sure you have the packaging you need, when you need it.