Business training for Welsh Breweries

A team of academics from Cardiff University and Portland State University has launched a programme of free, online training modules designed specifically for breweries in Wales.

The six modules developed by Mellie Pullman, Willamette Industries Professor of Supply Chain Management at Portland State University’s School of Business, with support from Professor Maneesh Kumar and Dr Vasco Sanchez Rodrigues from Cardiff University's Co-operation for Growth Project (Co-Growth), aim to help breweries in Wales during the current coronavirus crisis and also beyond into their futures.

Focusing on Welsh breweries and other craft beverage businesses, the modules will cover current trends, survival strategies and opportunities for improving business cost and profit structure.

The free training is delivered virtually through video content, exercises, live interactive sessions and weekly topic posting so that breweries can exchange opinions, ideas and collaborate with each other.

Special guests are invited to speak for each module as part of a virtual meeting where breweries can learn from supporting industries or suppliers and discuss topics relevant to them.

Dan Unwin, General Manager at Brewers Select, was the first guest. Dan shared insights on current trends in brewing ingredients and answered audience questions on several topics ranging from emerging trends, styles and packaging types, to the impact of COVID-19 on the supply of raw materials and how that may, in turn, impact beer styles in the future.

“The purpose of the training is to help breweries understand how to make money doing what they love,” said Professor Pullman.

Dr Vasco Sanchez Rodrigues, Reader in Logistics and Operations Management at Cardiff Business School and Lead investigator on the Co-Growth Project, added: “Our vision of collaboration includes the transfer of knowledge to and among Welsh drinks producers. Over the course of six modules we’ll be covering topics like production, distribution and packaging...”

Part-funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development through the Welsh Government, the Co-Growth Project aims to facilitate co-operation across the Welsh drinks sector through the application of cluster-based research.

Find out more about the training and register to participate.