Mastering Brewery Inventory Without Brewery Management Software

Effective inventory control is important for any business, but it is especially crucial for those in the craft beer industry. Every brewery owner recognizes the struggle of managing the supply chain effectively. The craft beverage industry is especially susceptible to frequent changes in consumer preferences which can result in inventory shortages creating a bottle neck for both your production and sales teams. On top of this, shelf space is often limited, and breweries run the risk of beer inventory spoiling if it isn't selling. It could be said that the best brewery inventory tracking method is a just in time inventory model. Locking down just in time inventory allows you to:

• Reduce waste
• Improve cash flow and profitability
• Streamline your beer production schedule and brewing process

Sales forecasting plays an important role in inventory management. By analyzing historical sales data you gain visibility into seasonal trends and can better identify what products your business needs to have in stock and when. If you aren't using brewery software, there are other places that this data can be pulled from. You could turn to your POS, your brewery accounting software, spreadsheets or even historical compliance reports to identify sales trends. Start by looking at how much beer you typically sell overall at different times of year, and from there dig in to see which products are the most popular at different times. This information can help you more accurately engage in resource planning and run your brewery more efficiently.

Once you've identified which products you need throughout different seasons, its time to identify what raw materials you need to produce them. If you aren't using a dedicated brewery management system, you could use a spreadsheet to track this. You will want to start by ensuring you have accurate inventory records for all of your existing ingredients and finished goods. Then map out every batch you need to brew in order to meet future inventory needs, specifying which raw materials are needed for each brew. From here you can calculate any inventory deficits and begin to optimize your production schedule.

Once you've identified any inventory deficits you can start placing purchase orders with your vendors ensuring that your brewer has everything they need ready for brew day. Of course, its still possible that supply chain delays could occur, but now you are better equipped to pivot and make a new plan using the information you've already collected. The purpose of inventory management is to save time, making your brewing operations more efficient while also improving cash flow.

Brew Ninja is an all-in-one brewery management solution designed to streamline your brewery business. With Brew Ninja you gain access to real-time data on your inventory levels, as well as keg tracking, COGs calculations, an integration with QuickBooks online and more. Contact us or book a demo to learn more about how Brew Ninja to help you to unlock just in time inventory management.