Article

Craft beer: Does it belong on pizza menus?

Two fast casual pizza executives discuss why craft beer is a staple on their menus.

November 25, 2015 by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Pizza and beer. That food-and-beverage combination has been enjoyed for years by millions of Americans. Whether one goes out to their favorite pizzeria for a pie and a pitcher, or orders in and pulls a six-pack out of the refrigerator, pizza and beer are comfort-food staples.

But what of the beer? Domestic beer giants like Budweiser and Miller have long been on-tap at pizzerias. In the last few years, however, craft beer sales have taken off. Craft's market share for beer in the U.S. grew to 11 percent in 2014, from 4.9 percent in 2010. Retail sales of craft beer in 2014 totaled $19.6 billion, up from $8.8 billion in 2010, according to the Brewers Association, as was reported by the Los Angeles Times.

So what is "craft beer"? According to CraftBeer.com, "When trying to define craft beer, each beer lover has a unique interpretation and story of discovery to share. To make a true craft beer definition even more difficult, each individual beer brand is one of a kind." 

CraftBeer.com's parent organization, the Brewers Association, however, defines an  American craft brewer as:

• Small — Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to the rules of alternating proprietorships.
• Independent — Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer.
• Traditional — A brewer that has a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume in beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. Flavored malt beverages (FMBs) are not considered beers.

This clear-cut definition allows the organization to provide statistics on the growing craft brewery segment, which makes up the majority of all breweries in the U.S.

Adding craft beer on pizza menus

Clearly, the popularity of craft beer is on the rise, but pizza operators must decide if the extra expense of offering them makes good business sense. The answer is, "yes," for Pie Five Pizza Co and Your Pie, two fast casual pizza chains, whose marketing directors gave PizzaMarketplace.com a look into their craft beer programs. Below is a Q and A with Christina Coy, vice president of marketing for Pie Five Pizza Co., and Drew French, founder of Your Pie.

Q: Has your restaurant always served craft beer? If so, is it mostly locally brewed, national craft brands or a mix of both?

Coy: Yes. Since we opened our first location in Fort Worth, Texas, we offered Rahr, a local craft favorite. We currently offer a mix of national and local craft beers. While craft beer is growing in popularity, there are still customers who prefer to stick to the mainstream brands.

French: We built the Your Pie brand based on the idea of sharing a good time over some great pizza, and have married our craft pies with craft beers since the beginning. It really took off and we’ve established some great relationships with local breweries in all of the markets we serve, and now we work to provide the best local craft beer in all of the new markets where we’re opening across the U.S. We like to offer a variety, so you can find your favorite national brands — but as part of our model of being a true community partner, we try to give our guests the very best of breweries owned and operated in the area.

Q: Do you consider a craft beer beverage program worth the cost since craft beers are more expensive?

Coy: Absolutely! It’s not just about the beer being “craft beer” but about it being local and a unique product offering for our customers. Our brand is centered on giving customers what they want and our customers seem to love it. We’re also constantly looking for ways to create a stronger bond with the communities we serve. Offering their local brew is just another touch point to our service platform. Not to mention, craft beer goes perfectly with our pizza!

French: Definitely. The experience our guests receive when they customize their pizza and then pair it with a local craft brew that they’re proud of is unparalleled. Since we’re not a bar and customers are typically only having one or two beers to enjoy with their pizza, they’re more willing to spend $5-7 on something unique and interesting. So ticket price increases for the same amount of work — it's a win/win. We see customers come back over and over, telling us that they really liked a certain pairing — but wanted to try a different topping, or see how another local craft beer pairs with their favorite pie. It also creates a fun atmosphere when you see people come in and ask strangers about the pairing they ordered, and are able to bond over sharing flavor. Also, it really ties the location to the community when you’re helping support local brewers. People take pride in that, and so do we.

Q: Do your craft beers outsell domestic beers like Budweiser, Miller Lite, etc.?

Coy: The national domestic beers generally outsell the locals, but, if you look at sales by market, several locations that have a lot of local craft beer options sell more of their local favorite. For example, Rahr is our top seller in Fort Worth, Deep Ellum (specifically the IPA) in Dallas, Saint Arnold in Houston, Boulevard in Kansas City and in Maryland, Dogfish Head and Yuengling are outselling the national brands. As we open more stores, we think we’ll start to see the brand as a whole shift to where we’re selling more craft beers. It’s just a matter of time.

French: The craft brews are the heart of the experience — and those fans are more loyal about buying local brews. We don't sell a broad range of domestic beers, but most markets carry a couple of domestics for the die-hard Miller or Bud fan, but the broader focus for us is on offering a quality beer selection, and providing as much local craft flavor as possible.

Q: What do your customers like about craft beer?

Coy: Our guests really love craft beer. We’ve held craft-beer pairing events that sold out in a matter of minutes. We partnered with Deep Ellum Brewery for our first beer-pairing in Dallas, and the customer feedback was extremely positive. Guests loved being able to taste some of the beers along-side our newest signature pizzas and current favorites. The feedback was amazing. We will definitely be hosting more in the future. It’s a great chance to kick back with your customers and toast to great pizza!

French: I think it comes down to the hometown pride that comes from supporting a brewery that's down the road, and having those fun arguments with friends over who lives in the city or state with the best craft beer. Additionally, there are so many different toppings and flavors at Your Pie that it creates a fun way to experiment with pairings. It's all part of our motto to, "Express your inner pizza." Food should be an expression, and finding your perfect pizza and craft beer pairing is part of that fun. It also gives our franchisees a way to connect with the local beer community. Bringing in a local beer gives us the opportunity to stage fun events for our customers. The beer community as a whole is open and excited about new ideas, and this translates into a lot of really cool opportunities for our customers to meet brewers and reps and learn about new beer offerings in a very engaging way.

About Travis Wagoner

---

Travis Wagoner spent nearly 18 years in education as an alumni relations and communications director, coordinating numerous annual events and writing, editing and producing a quarterly, 72-plus-page magazine. Travis also was a ghostwriter for an insurance firm, writing about the Affordable Care Act. He holds a BA degree in communications/public relations from Xavier University.