Aluminum Can Shortage Affecting Local Breweries
An at home drinking influx during COVID-19 is contributing to a shortage of aluminum cans, straining already suffering local breweries.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of the most basic and mundane items is seeing a massive shortage — the aluminum can. The impact is being felt locally, especially at breweries in our area which are already suffering because of COVID-19.
There are several reasons for the can shortage. The growing popularity of spiked seltzers and people drinking more at home during the pandemic. Companies producing cans can’t keep up with the demand. NoDa Brewing owner, Todd Ford, tells WCCB that last year, 60 percent of their product was being placed in cans. When COVID hit, the number jumped to almost 90 percent. “That bumps up the price of the product a little bit and that’s inevitably what happens. But if they can ensure that we have a steady case supply of cans, at this particular point, we’ll take it,” says Ford.
NoDa Brewing’s canning line produces 160 thousand cans of Hop, Drop N’ Roll a month. Ford tell WCCB that NoDa Brewing is looking at sourcing cans from Mexico and trying to be creative on how they get their can supply.
