This is my first blog post.... I hope you find it interesting or worth reading..... but no promises. First of all, I'm not a writer. Actually, I write like shit. Maybe that will make this more interesting..... probably not. Time will tell.
Anyway, it has become more and more apparent to me how similar hockey equipment is to craft beer. Craft beer you say? Yes, indeed.
Now, is it a coincidence that many of us have a deep love for both of these things? No, probably not. However, there is striking resemblance between the two these days. Let me explain why.
According to the History of Craft Breweries at the www.brewerassociation.org
Momentum began to pick up for the microbrewing phenomenon in the early- to mid-1990s with annual volume growth increasing from 35 percent in 1991, to a high of 58 percent in 1995. Craft brewer volume growth slowed to between 1 and 5 percent annually between 1997 and 2003.
2004 saw an acceleration of craft brewer sales with annual growth percentages for the craft segment of between six and 12 percent each year from 2004 through 2008, as beer drinkers increasingly connected with small and independent breweries and local breweries.
Craft Brewers have succeeded in establishing high levels of quality, consistency and innovation, expanding the minds of the beer consumers and creating the most diverse brewing culture in the world. While craft brewers only had four percent of the U.S. beer sales in 2008, there is a tremendous upside for beer drinkers and craft brewers.
The number of craft brewers has gone from eight in 1980, to 537 in 1994, to over 2,800 in 2013. The number of breweries in planning is skyrocketing. As of June 1, 2013, there are more than 1,500 breweries in development in the U.S.
I think the two keys to this are number one, craft brewers were successful in establishing high levels of quality, consistency and innovation completely on their own. This is also happening in the hockey equipment space. New, young companies are developing innovative and respectable products at reasonable and competitive prices. The second is that they were "serving" their local communities. This is also true in hockey, companies are popping up all over the place and they are serving their local communities with whatever needs were not being met (equipment, soft goods, services, etc.). Here at MĀVIN we are also trying to do just that as well, deliver innovative and quality hockey products to our local friends and family!
No matter what equipment you use, it's an exciting time to be a consumer in a sport that has historically been difficult to afford for many. However, I envision a future where any kid, from any situation, can have access to quality equipment to fully enjoy the sport we all love.... and that, friends, is a future I think we can all raise a beer for.
Cheers,
KG