The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Science, Simon Coveney TD, has launched the first official development and economic report on microbreweries in Ireland. The report was commissioned by the Independent Craft Brewers in Ireland (ICBI), an association set up earlier this year due to the growth of the micro brewing market in Ireland.
Seamus O’Hara, spokesperson for the ICBI, commented on the purpose of commissioning the report, seeing it as “A natural first step […] to establish an official piece of research on what impact it’s industry is having on both the national economy and on it’s operational market.”
The report found that there are 33 microbreweries operating in Ireland, with a further 17 in development stage expected to be in operation by the end of 2014. It also found that the production of beer by microbreweries grew by 32% in volume in 2013 and is expected to grow by at least 45% in 2014.
The report predicted that the domestic microbrewery industry is expected to double from 0.6% of the Irish market in 2012 to 1.2% by the end of 2014.
© 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Robert Maloney.
