How craft breweries adapted locally during COVID-19
What is it about?
This article explains how small craft breweries in Australia, Colombia, and France adapted during the COVID-19 crisis. Based on interviews and regional case studies, it shows how breweries faced disrupted sales, supply chains, and customer routines, but also strengthened local networks, community ties, and more place-based ways of working. The article describes these changes as “emergent degrowth”: practical responses that value resilience, locality, and quality rather than simply expanding production.
Why is it important?
The study is important because it challenges the idea that recovery after a crisis must always mean returning to growth. In these craft beer regions, breweries adapted by relying more on local relationships, flexible sales channels, cultural identity, and community support. This can help researchers, regional policymakers, and small-business support organizations think about resilience in ways that include social, environmental, and cultural value. The findings are based on selected regional case studies, so they should be read as context-specific evidence.