As Americans develop more of a thirst for beer, wine and spirits produced in small batches, a newly formed Beverage Business Institute is helping Colorado businesses meet the demand.
Today Colorado State University in Fort Collins is kicking off an inaugural three-day workshop for beverage industry up-and-comers. Director Jim Francis said many who enter the industry often start out following a passion, but quickly discover that running a small business requires wearing a lot of hats.
“We’re going to get into inventory management, brand and category management—issues that both wholesalers and suppliers have to deal with,” he said.
Francis said the certificate program is the first of its kind—emphasizing the management side of the beverage business.
A keynote speech will be delivered later today by Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent—a financial sponsor of the Institute.
