Wilmington, NC—A new organization has emerged in the Cape Fear region to promote and unite businesses in the craft beer industry.
Enter the Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance (CFCBA).
As craft beer becomes more popular all over the world and more specifically America, craft beer tourism has become more prevalent in cities with bourgeoning scenes. Wilmington is one of those cities.
The recent growth of craft beer in the Cape Fear Region has been exponential. Since 2014, eight breweries have opened and the number of bottle shops has grown from three to ten. Not only have these new businesses created community spaces for locals and tourists alike to delight in beer created by small companies both local and global, but also the increase in breweries, bottle shops, and restaurants & bars, has created many new jobs for people with varied skill sets.
In North Carolina alone in 2015, craft beer created 10,000 jobs and $1.2 billion in revenue*. North Carolina is currently the leading producer of craft beer in the South.
In order to nurture our local growing industry, the Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance is dedicated to three main goals:
- Advocacy-to allow the Alliance a voice in addressing all issues, governmental or other, which affect the industry, locally.
- Education-to provide opportunities for its members to further their brewing knowledge and to educate the consumer about the benefits and varieties of craft beer, and to encourage responsible, moderate consumption.
- Promotion-to promote its members and their products to other brewers, suppliers, legislators, tourists, and the general public.
The mission of the Cape Fear Craft Beer Alliance is to promote awareness and increase visibility of craft beer in the Cape Fear Region through education and participation in community events.
The CFCBA will use its resources to unite the local craft beer community, and the Cape Fear region as a whole. Plans include events that pair with local organizations to raise awareness for nonprofits in the Cape Fear region.
The Alliance looks forward to meeting and collaborating with other community members and organizations in the future. Those interested in joining the Alliance can contact Brian Lantz or Joan Wilkerson at info@capefearcraft.org. For more information, visit capefearcraft.org.
Cheers!
*per the NC Craft Brewers Guild