Let’s face it — breweries are busy places. Whether you’re brewing, managing a taproom, filing a TTB report, or running payroll, there’s no shortage of things that must get done.
But here’s the hard truth: Most of what fills your calendar doesn’t actually grow your business.
The tasks that do? They’re usually quiet. They don’t scream for attention. And they often get pushed aside.
These are your value-added tasks — the ones that increase profits, improve operations, or enhance customer experience. They’re not urgent… but they’re absolutely essential.
Let’s look at three brewery-specific value-added tasks that can make a real difference — and how to carve out time for them.
✅ 1. Weekly Gross Margin Review
Why it matters:
Your gross margin is the heartbeat of your business. If it’s unhealthy, nothing else works.
What to do:
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Review beer sales, COGS and margins by brand and SKU.
- Identify low-margin products and either raise prices, reduce costs, or discontinue.
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Watch for red flags like creeping ingredient costs or margin erosion on core brands.
Pro tip: Set a recurring 30-minute weekly meeting to review this with your team. Use software or a dashboard to make it quick and visual.
✅ 2. Taproom Sales & Upsell Training
Why it matters:
Your staff interacts with every customer — they’re your frontline sales team. A small improvement in average ticket size can translate into big revenue gains.
What to do:
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Train staff to suggest add-ons (e.g., “Would you like to try the new seasonal flight?”)
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Review which items are most profitable and build talking points around them.
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Role-play with the team to build comfort and consistency.
Pro tip: Pick one upsell focus per week (like merch, flights, or food pairings). Measure performance and recognize top sellers.
✅ 3. Packaging Cost Optimization
Why it matters:
Packaging is often one of the biggest costs and one of the easiest places to lose margin.
What to do:
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Audit your per-unit cost of cans, labels, case trays, and carriers.
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Get quotes from multiple vendors or negotiate volume discounts.
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Compare in-house vs. outsourced canning if applicable.
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Review SKU complexity — reducing package types can lower costs and streamline ops.
Pro tip: Build a simple cost-per-BBL calculator to track packaging costs over time. Revisit quarterly.
Do this next:
- Watch the short video below – Brewery Value-Added Tasks
- Join our membership in the Beer Business Finance Association – a network of brewery owners and managers working together to improve financial results
