Expert Says Dating Apps Threaten Craft Beer Industry More Than Legal Cannabis

In the past, the craft beer industry has expressed concern that legal weed would become a big competitor. But as more and more places continue to loosen their cannabis laws, experts are starting to see how legalization impacts other industries. And it turns out, weed isn’t a threat to beer. In fact, leaders in the craft beer industry are now saying that smart phones and dating apps are probably a bigger threat to craft beer than legal marijuana.

Beer Industry Is Worried About Smart Phones and Dating Apps

According to reports coming from the Brewers Association and Beverage Daily, new attitudes and perspectives are emerging in the craft beer scene. More specifically, fewer experts in the craft beer industry are seeing cannabis as a threat to their business.

In past years, many thought that legal weed might cut into beer sales. The assumption was that consumers might choose to purchase legal weed instead of beer for leisure and recreational consumption.

But so far, that fear has proven unfounded. In fact, the Brewers Association recently said that data from weed-legal locations has not shown any pronounced decrease in craft beer sales.

“Although there is plenty of chatter about this occurring . . . to date, there is little evidence that cannabis has affected beer sales,” the organization wrote recently.

But it looks as though other products instead of weed could start biting into craft beer’s bottom line. Currently, a growing number of experts in the beer space are reportedly coming to see smart phones—and especially dating apps—as the potentially biggest threat to craft beer.

“We look at cannabis as just another product beer consumers can choose to enjoy with their disposable income—just like wine, spirits,” Bob Pease, President and CEO of the Brewers Association, told Beverage Daily.

“We think the iPhone is a bigger threat right now, probably, to beer than cannabis. You used to go out to meet people, go out to a bar . . . now you just swipe right on your phone, you don’t need to go anywhere. All this is just part of the evolving society.”

Beer Companies Getting Into the Legal Weed Game

Interestingly, the craft beer industry’s shifting attitudes go beyond simply no longer fearing legal weed. Now, it’s becoming increasingly common for beer companies to see weed as an opportunity rather than a competitor.

So far, this includes the possibility of partnering with cannabis companies to create new beverage lines. Additionally, beer companies have made substantial investments into the legal cannabis space.

Here are some of the biggest beer companies to make moves into the legal marijuana industry so far:

• Molson Coors recently announced plans to create a line of non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused drinks. In this project, Molson Coors’ Canada division will reportedly partner with Canadian weed company The Hydropothecary Corp.
• Two Roots Brewing Co. recently released a line of non-alcoholic, cannabinoid-infused craft beers in Nevada.
• Constellation Brands, the owner of Corona and Modelo, reportedly bought a 9.9 percent stake in massive cannabis company Canopy Growth Corp.
• In 2017, craft beer brewer Lagunitas launched a marijuana beer called SuperCritical.