The Brewers Association is stepping up efforts to have retailers showcase beers with the group's "independent craft" logo as a way to drive up sales for smaller brewers.

BA recently debuted a "microsite" on its website where retailers can download materials about how to more prominently display beers carrying the logo in their stores. The logo was unveiled in June 2017 and made available free to BA members and non-members alike, as long as the companies met the association's definition of a "craft brewer."

BA claims that advertising the availability of craft beers is good business for retailers.

"Data shows that independent craft outperforms Big Beer-acquired brands on a number of metrics," said Julia Herz, BA's craft beer program director. "There are many reasons for retailers to seal the deal to support and differentiate independent craft brewers at the point of purchase."

Small and independent craft brewers represent 99 percent of the more than 5,300 breweries in the U.S. but make up only 12 percent of the beer sold in the country, according to the association. BA defines a small brewery as one that produces less than 6 million barrels of beer in a year. It defined an independent brewery as one where less than 25 of the business is owned or controlled by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not a craft brewer. http://bit.ly/2JB6CQs

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