Retailing doesn’t have to be complicated. People buy what they like — which is why convenience stores should stock local craft beers in beer caves.

Consumers like both local craft brews and the beer caves where they might be stocked.

Having a beer cave shows shoppers that you have made an investment in and commitment to the category. They quickly become destinations, effectively showcase the brands, offer cold product and usually contain a bountiful selection.

As for local craft beers, they have been on consumers’ radars for many years, and their popularity has proven durable. Indeed, that popularity is hardly limited to America. The global craft beer market size reached $117.1 billion in 2022, according to the IMARC Group, and it projects the market to reach $221.5 billion by 2028 at a compound annual growth rate of 10.8%.

There are many reasons why convenience store customers will be drawn to local craft brews. They include:

• Flavor: Small, local brewers tend to turn out product with a richer and more distinct taste than mass-produced beer. Craft brews also offer unique flavors, a big favorite among beer aficionados.
• Out of the ordinary: Consumers like new beers as opposed to the same labels.
• Limited time: C-store shoppers have always displayed a love of limited-time offers, and that includes seasonal or small-batch brews.
• Artisanal quality: Consumers appreciate it for the same reason they prefer handmade goods of all kinds.
• Loyalty: Many consumers feel intense loyalty toward the hometown team, their neighbors and small mom-and-pop brands that aren’t large, impersonal corporations. In fact, craft beer drinkers in general tend to be more ardent about their brews than the average beer drinker. They are also more knowledgeable and more likely to be impressed by descriptions of the beer’s backstory, and they will tend to be more frequent purchasers — and open to experiment — as a result.
• Nature: Craft beers often trumpet their natural brewing methods, something health-conscious consumers — and there are more all the time — will gravitate toward.
• Bigger buzz: Many craft brews contain more alcohol by volume.
• Lower cost: Since local craft brews are stronger than the major brands, it takes fewer beers — read, less money spent — for drinkers to feel satisfied.