The Brewers Association reported that more than 9,500 attendees made the trip to Las Vegas for the Craft Brewers Conference April 21-24, including more than 740 exhibitors and more than 3,100 breweries, according to a post-CBC report shared by the trade group.
Attendance decreased compared to 2023, when the BA reported that more than 12,000 industry professionals attended the event that year in Nashville, according to its annual report that year.
Seventeen percent of the attendees for the 2024 edition of CBC were from outside of the U.S., with Canada, Germany, China and the United Kingdom leading the way.
The BA added that 16% of the breweries in attendance produced fewer than 1,000 barrels of beer annually.
The trade group also shared results from an attendee survey under “highlights and attendee impressions.” Details on how many attendees offered responses were not shared.
The top reasons driving attendees to the BrewExpo trade show, according to the BA, were, in order:
- Networking with colleagues and making new connections – 82%;
- Getting fresh ideas – 78%;
- Discovering new and next generational tools, equipment and services – 74%;
- And learning about developments within the industry – 74%.
The primary attendee topics of interest included:
- Brewery operations – 29%;
- Taproom, brewery and brewpub management – 10%;
- Beer quality – 8%;
- Sales and distribution – 8%;
- Marketing and social media – 8%;
- Leadership – 7%;
- Ingredients and supply chain – 6%;
- Packaging breweries (management and marketing) – 4%;
- Startups – 4%;
- Finance and accounting – 4%;
- Beyond beer – 2%;
- Sustainability – 2%.
The BA also found that 89% of attendees surveyed said they’d “recommend or strongly recommend CBC to others.” The trade group also found that 78% of attendees are “most likely or absolutely will attend a future CBC.”
The 2025 edition of CBC will take place in Indianapolis April 28 through May 1.
The BA also shared “Facts and Figures” from the companion World Beer Cup event. The organization said 9,300 beers from 2,600 breweries in 50 countries were judged by 280 judges, including 103 international judges. The competition awarded 329 plaques and sashes across 110 beer styles. The largest category this year was juicy or hazy IPA, with 326 entries.