Yuengling Looks to Expanding Markets

With a 400 percent growth in the last eight years, D.G. Yuengling and Son would seem to be using a powerful marketing strategy. Although according to Vice President David A. Casinelli, that's simply not true.

The sales staff now faces a challenge with the start of the new brewery. Plans are set to expand Yuengling markets beyond the tri-state core which it now occupies.

Their competition will be the top four: Anheuser-Busch, Coors, Miller, and Stroh's. These nationwide brewers hold 90 percent of the market.

Yuengling attributes their success largely to the rise of micro and craft brewed beers of the early 90's. This nationwide trend is largely reflected in the sophisticated taste of older consumers. Quality over quantity is now an issue for this population. This is an unwelcome trend for the larger breweries who have faced the pinnacle in their growth. Smaller breweries like Yuengling, however, are now enjoying some of their best years yet. This new market shift is expected to continue well into 2010.

While most breweries experience growth through expanding their market, Yuengling has been forced into growth by demand. The brewery's present capacity has been met which has coerced Yuengling into withdrawing from the New England, New York, Maryland, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Virginia areas.

Because of their plans to extend their products from the core market, Yuengling recognizes that distribution and marketing factors will be incremental in their success.

This new approach to marketing is a key to the future success for Yuengling. This is increasingly evident today in the 90's. The wholesaler netork is consequential in development.

Richard L. Yuengling Jr. comments on this stating, "Without the proper network, you go nowhere. It's the key to success in the beer business."

While plans of expansion are on the horizon, Yuengling recognizes that it must not forget its loyal, local customer base. Casinelli states, "We're working to keep a solid base. As long as we have that, we can always expand."

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