Beer in Virginia

Beer is responsible for 10,000 jobs in Virginia. That’s one of the nuggets in a new economic impact report by the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) in Alexandria.

The report, produced by Bill Latham and Ken Lewis of the Center for Applied Business & Economic Research at the University of Delaware, says Virginia beer distributors generate $1.5 billion in total economic impacts.

The report takes into account how beer distributor activities are intertwined with many parts of the economy, especially the personal services sector. The report also includes the amount of resources contributed by beer distributors in supporting community events and local economic development, contributing to charitable causes and promoting responsible alcohol use.

Some of the report’s key findings: 

  Virginia beer distributors directly employ 3,791 people.
  When the impacts of distributor operations, capital investment and community involvement are considered, the total number of impact jobs is 9,850.
  Virginia beer distributors generate $1.5 billion in total economic impacts.
  Virginia beer distributor activities contribute $334 million to the federal, state and local tax bases. This does not include an added $245 million in federal, state and local alcohol excise and consumption taxes on beer sold in Virginia.
  The Virginia beer distribution industry contributes more than $440 million in transportation efficiencies for the beer industry each year.
  Beer distributor contributions to local community activities generate $4.1 million in impacts annually.

“The beer distribution sector is a hidden gem that has been tremendously undervalued in previous economic reports,” said Latham.  “Fueling more than 345,000 direct and indirect jobs across the country, beer distributors add $54 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product and offer far reaching benefits to brewers, importers, retailers, consumers and government agencies at all levels.”

Altogether, America has 3,300 independent beer distributors who directly employ more than 130,000 people, according to the NBWA.