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Lambic Digest #0644
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Date: Fri, 7 Jul 1995 00:30:10 -0600
From: lambic-request at lance.colostate.edu (subscription requests only - do not post here)
To: lambic at lance.colostate.edu
Reply-To: lambic at lance.colostate.edu (postings only - do not send subscription requests here)
Subject: Lambic Digest #644 (July 07, 1995)
Lambic Digest #644 Fri 07 July 1995
Forum on Lambic Beers (and other Belgian beer styles)
Mike Sharp, Digest Coordinator
Contents:
'Mo money - some reflections (Tim_Fields_at_Relay__Tech__Vienna)
Profit ("JOHN A. JR. CARLSON ")
FREE Belgian Beer Tasting (Algis R Korzonas +1 708 979 8583)
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Date: Thu, 06 Jul 95 12:57:01 EST
From: Tim_Fields_at_Relay__Tech__Vienna at relay.com
Subject: 'Mo money - some reflections
Al writes in #643:
>As a matter of fact, this is not true. A perfect example in this
>case is that Cantillon, rather than sell-out like many other breweries,
>chose to become a NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. Yes, that's right. It
>is an operating, lambik brewing museum and has non-profit status.
Neat - and interesting.
>I'd say that settles this argument, wouldn't you?
Well... sort of, and perhaps not quite. To paraphrase Russell Mast: there's
"profit", and then there's "profit".
On the one hand, we have the brewing giants (as in size) of the world that
as a general rule must maximize return for their investors. For public
companies in particular, this is literally "the law". On the other hand we
have the brewing giants (as in "quality") that tend to be smaller and
produce for narrower market niches. Of course there is allot of middle
ground here - just trying to illustrate the point.
Both giants must throw off enough cash to cover expenses and reinvest in
the business. "Profit" is probably not the correct term for this (I'm no
economist) - lets' call it basic business survival. This is what I was getting
at in my original post. I'm assuming this as a
given, whether we are talking about a size giant or a quality giant.
Somewhere beyond this baseline, the issue of "profit" (that is, money above and
beyond what is required for the basic survival of the business) arises. I think
Russell did a very nice job of illustrating the differences between size and
quality giants and how they approach this "beyond-the-basics" profit.
As he pointed out (again, paraphrasing), it goes to basic motivation and
philosophy. It's a gray area, but at some point one can draw the distinction
between brewers that are in it for the love of the art (the "quality" giants
that must necessarily make enough money to continue to pursue their dreams) and
the "size" giants that are motivated almost purely by market share and investor
return. Whether one is "worse" or "less honorable", etc. than the other is up
to the individual. Kind of like yin and yang (sp?), or two sides of the same
coin, I try to take both in stride. There is also the argument that goes: one
cannot know good without evil or light without darkness, (Grasshopper). After
all, each of these giants is creating product with a loyal following.
So... to sum up: I'm not so sure our discussion is about "profit" at all. (It
might just be that, on a percentage basis, some of these quality giants are
churning out higher profits than some of the size giants). I would submit that
what we are really getting at the core philosophy of these organizations and the
people that run them. On this I stand gratefully enlightened. I've seen allot
of beer-related discourse on the net that can be summed as: "making money is a
sin, and those that do are selling their souls down the river forever". To
which I tend to reply: "BS - nothing wrong with money". For me at least, its'
been fun to get beyond the opening volleys and a little deeper into the issue.
-Tim
Tim Fields / Vienna, VA, USA / timf at relay.com
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Jul 1995 12:16:59 -0600 (MDT)
From: "JOHN A. JR. CARLSON " <jcarlson at du.edu>
Subject: Profit
>
> Tim writes:
> >No flame intended here at all, but I do think that all commercial
> >brewers/blenders/whatever share a common goal - profit.
Al responds
> As a matter of fact, this is not true. A perfect example in this
> case is that Cantillon, rather than sell-out like many other breweries,
> chose to become a NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. Yes, that's right. It
> is an operating, lambik brewing museum and has non-profit status.
>
> I'd say that settles this argument, wouldn't you?
I would'nt say that at all. Maybe this belongs more on Judgenet than here
but remember that non-profit = profit. Case in point the AHA is
non-profit (501(c)(3)) under the tax code and a lot of folks out there
seem to think that they are all about profit. IMHO I don't think that AHA
or Cantillon are out to make a killing but they are out to keep
themselves operational and being termed "non-profit" can have certain
operational benefits. Just a thought.
John
------------------------------
Date: 6 Jul 95 10:09:00 -0500
From: korz at iepubj.att.com (Algis R Korzonas +1 708 979 8583)
Subject: FREE Belgian Beer Tasting
If you will be in the Chicagoland area this Saturday (July 8th), there will be
a FREE Belgian Beer tasting at Mainstreet Deli and Liquors, 5425 South LaGrange
Road, Countryside. Call 708-354-0355 for more information or directions.
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End of Lambic Digest
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