Services
The leading brewing and beverage industry consulting firm.
- Overview
  The leading brewing and beverage industry consulting firm.
- Strategy & Finance
  Deep industry knowledge is our point of difference.
  - Feasibility Studies & Business Plans
    Is your project viable?
  - Performance Improvement
    It takes integrated solutions to capture maximum value.
  - Acquisitions & Divestitures
    A wider view of the strategic options.
  - Valuations
    Well-supported, logical and defensible valuation conclusions.
  - Due Diligence
    We are independent, neutral and objective.
  - M&A Integration
    Don't leave value on the table in your deals.
  - Investment Management
    The goal is to maximize value, while mitigating risk.
  - Turnaround & Insolvency
    A fresh perspective on the tough issues.
  - CFO Services
    Contract CFOs with brewing industry experience.
- Operations
  Turning operations into your competitive advantage.
  - Manufacturing
    Making great products efficiently & consistently.
    - Process Improvement
      Our brewery experts help you define and implement the most impactful projects to improve quality, cost and delivery.
    - Continuous Improvement
      Teaching your team to “fish where the fish are”.
    - Technical Partner
      Ongoing expertise, but not on your payroll.
  - Quality
    Turning your quality, operations and business processes into a competitive advantage.
    - Quality Management System (QMS)
      The future belongs to top quality beers.
    - Quality Troubleshooting Services
      Sound advice on demand from experienced professionals.
  - Product Innovation
    We develop award-winning products.
    - Recipe Development & Pilot Trials
      Your passion, pride and personality reflected in each recipe.
    - Contract Manufacturing
      We will help you get brewing and packaging arrangements that work for you.
    - Commercial Scale Up
      Quickly transferring your new recipe into reliable commercial production.
  - Reliability & Maintenance
    Why is a robust maintenance system critically important for your brewery?
- Engineering
  We integrate value, quality, innovation, and efficiency for your benefit.
  - Design, Procure, Build, Commission
    First Key will help your company successfully navigate through the many activities and decisions that face a new brewery start up or expansion.
  - Capital Project Management
    While you focus on making great beer, we focus on your capital project.
  - Process Engineering
    Specialized process, utilities, malting and automation engineering.
  - Packaging Engineering
    Specialized packaging, utilities and automation engineering for packaging operations.
- Marketing & Sales
  What really drives your growth?
  - Research & Projections
    Is it possible to understand your drinkers better than they understand themselves?
  - Brand Strategy
    Are your strategies connecting with your customers?
  - Portfolio – Products & Innovation
    The products in your portfolio should complement one another, not compete with each other.
  - Pricing
    When the price goes up, sales go down. When the price goes down, sales go up. Or do they?
  - Marketing
    How can you find clarity in a fragmented marketing landscape?
  - Brand Communication
    Are you connecting with your customers and consumers?
  - Route to Market
    Strategies, programs and training to succeed.
  - Brewpub / Taproom Development & Training
    How do you stay relevant with your customer base?
- Agribusiness
  Hops and Malt from the ground up.
  - Malting Industry Reports
    Market intelligence is more valuable now than ever before
  - Business Planning for Maltsters
    Comprehensive feasibility studies for your malting facility plans
  - Malting Operations Audit & Optimization
    Independent malting facility audits and improvement plans
  - Malt Sourcing for Brewers
    Value creation is on the mind of every brewer
  - Business Planning for Hop Growers
    First Key can help you navigate the specific agricultural, technical, market and financial aspects of your hop farm feasibility study
  - Hop Innovation
    Looking for hop innovation backed by sound science?
- Sustainability & Supply Chain
  Are your operating margins where they should be?
  - Environmental Sustainability
    Providing environmental audits and strategies to brewing and beverage companies around the world.
  - Sourcing & Procurement
    Does your sourcing strategy support growth and price stability?
  - Transportation, Logistics & Distribution
    The first step to increasing your retail sales is developing a strategic approach to your supply chain which includes transportation, logistics, and distribution.
  - Production Run Strategy & Network Optimization
    Powerful network modeling, analysis and optimization for your complex supply chain.
  - Contract Manufacturing
    Contract manufacturing arrangements that work for you.
  - Industrial Engineering & Business Process Management
    Are you chasing or fixing problems?
- People & Organizational Performance
  Where talent meets opportunity in the brewing industry.
  - Interim Staffing
    Experienced brewery consultants working seamlessly with your team.
  - Recruiting, Hiring & Staffing
    Let's find the best possible candidate for your role.
  - Training Program Design & Implementation
    Engaging your people to drive performance.
  - HR Audit / Assessment
    Reviewing policies, procedures, documents, and systems.
  - Health & Safety
    Protecting your team and creating peace of mind in the workplace.
Projects
Our wide range of experiences is a benefit for our clients.
Insights
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About
The leading brewing and beverage industry consulting firm.
- Overview
  The leading brewing and beverage industry consulting firm.
- Why First Key
  We deliver projects and services better, leaner and faster than anyone else.
- Our Values
  Strong relationships and mutual trust have given us the opportunity to work in over 50 countries for over 30 years.
- Leadership
  Brief biographies of our firm's management.
- Clients
  First Key has a solid track record delivering results that our clients act on - practical roadmaps that are tailored to the specific situation of each client.
- Testimonials
  Our clients tell us that early integration of our experience and best practices ensures their project success, secures consistent quality, and reduces costs.
- World Beer Cup
  First Key is an official sponsor of the World Beer Cup.
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All Supply Chain New Brewery & Expansions Beer Category Engineering Strategy & Finance Agribusiness Leadership Marketing & Sales Product Innovation Quality Continuous Improvement People & Organizational Performance Brewpubs Distilling Environment Press Releases

Looking Backwards to Look Forward

A lot happened in the craft brewing industry in the last few years. It can be beneficial to look back on developments in 2021 that might be managed a little better in 2022.

Read More February 18, 2022August 10, 2023 by Chris Clarke Topic:Leadership

The Next American Temperance Movement: Closer Than We Think?

We may be only ten years or so away from the beginning of a slow revival of anti-alcohol sentiment in our society. It may be time to begin reminding Americans why responsible beer consumption is not a bad thing.

Read More June 24, 2020August 11, 2023 by Chris Clarke Topic:Beer Category, Leadership

Celebrating International Women’s Day and Beer

As she reflected on her career in beer recently, one thing stood out to Dr. Heather Pilkington, Managing Director & CEO of First Key Consulting: the special connections that link those in the brewing industry together.

Read More February 21, 2020March 8, 2024 by Chris Clarke Topic:Leadership

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Commercial Malting Companies

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First Key is the leading brewing and beverage industry consulting firm. We have been operating for over 30 years and have worked in over 50 countries. Our consultants are some of the most talented, interesting and experienced experts who provide clients with independent and comprehensive advice, and work with them to implement solutions in every area of their business.

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