Case Studies

Peak is a small craft brewing company that sought to distinguish itself in the national organic marketplace. They came to Wolf & Associates for advice on positioning, strategic direction, and supply chain security. We recommended that Peak develop beer varieties which could use organic ingredients grown in New England—where the brewery is located. In addition, we recommended contract strategies to secure essential ingredients as the business grew.

In the course of discussions, it became clear that consistently sourcing organic hops was a potential obstacle to long-term growth and sustained position. In response, we embarked on investigative research to eliminate this obstacle. W&A conducted a thorough situation analysis and engaged a multitude of hop growers and researchers. In the end, our work with Peak not only reduced their supply chain vulnerabilities, but also spawned extensive research and experimentation with organic hops. Non-organic hops were removed from the National List in 2013.