A shortage of one of the most mundane items in daily life — the humble aluminum can — means beer fans are likely to find that some of their favorite brews are out of stock right now.
The supply problemis prompting brewers like Molson Coors, (TAP) Brooklyn Brewery and Karl Strauss to cut back on the breadth of brands they sell and exacerbating concerns of out-of-stocks.
“Everyone who makes anything that goes into a 12-ounce can is being challenged to some respect,” Adam Collins, Molson Coors’ spokesperson, told CNN Business.
One major factor is the coronavirus and changing habits related to it. Beer that would have ended up in kegs at restaurants and bars has shifted, along with other kinds of alcohol, to being sold in retail stores and through online channels and consumed at home— often in cans. The boom in pantry loading in the spring has compounded the problem by throwing brewer supply chains out of whack.
