Agriculture Report: Breaking new ground
Lured by the lifestyle and opportunity, these first-generation farmers and ranchers see the value of making a living off the land and working for themselves
Consumer
Stuck on a hanger: Colorado bounce-back companies
Is the suit and tie another COVID-19 casualty? The question of how the post-pandemic consumer will shop for clothes – where, when and for what? – confounds everyone from shop owner to manufacturer to landlord to forecaster.
Pandemic accelerates direct-to-consumer farm sales
Around 7 million additional U.S. households turned directly to producers in 2020. Experts say that growth in direct agricultural sales across the state could benefit the industry long term due to the increase in consumer knowledge and appreciation of local food production. Plus, a collection of resources to connect farmers, ranchers directly to consumers.
Entrepreneur sees green in scrap-tire mountains
According to most estimates, Colorado has more scrap tires than any other state. Roman Navarro, founder and CEO of Tires to Green Recycling in Hudson, saw an opportunity to recycle tires in Colorado after starting his career recycling electronics in Mexico.
Amid COVID, craft brewers see the can half-full
Many breweries turned to canning beers and building a model resilient enough to survive a slow winter. For Ska Street Brewstillery in Boulder, they kept brewing and found a market thirsty for canned beer, which made up about half of all sales before the pandemic.
Women in dentistry on the rise
According to the American Dental Association, 33% of dentists in the U.S. are female, and 63.4% own their own practice. Women also hold about 35% full-time and 30% part-time faculty positions at dental schools. Check out this discussion about why this trend is happening and how we can continue to support and encourage these strong industry leaders.
Colorado brewers roll out lighter option
Reflecting a national trend centered around healthy living, Colorado breweries including Oskar Blues, Ska, Odell and New Belgium have begun rolling out low-calorie, low-carb brews targeted at consumers with active lifestyles.
The importance of shopping sustainably this holiday season
Wrapping paper, single-use plastics, and packaging materials pile up in the trash this time of year, introducing more pollution into our environment. The good news? There are many ways that we can be more conscious consumers this holiday season. For those who want to shop green but don’t know where to start, here are some ideas and tips to make this easier.
Beer in 2021 and beyond
Breweries that want to not only survive but to thrive on the other side will need to change and adapt. 2021 may or may not mark the end of the pandemic, but it will certainly bring additional twists and turns for breweries as they weather the current crisis and position for growth in the coming years. As 2020 finally nears its end, here are some items to watch in 2021.
Respect gaining for cut-and-sew industry
As COVID-19 spread across Colorado in the spring, sewing skills were suddenly in high demand. It was a shot in the arm for Colorado’s cut-and-sew industry, which has withered as manufacturing largely migrated overseas over the last 40 years. But can the mask boom sustain a broader comeback for the sector?
2020 holiday shopping outlook report
Ibotta's latest report latest report combines surveys of more than 3,000 Ibotta Savers and general U.S.-based consumers. It examines current sentiments ahead of the holiday shopping season and how consumer preferences and behaviors, both in-store and online, will shift in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Small processors step up to ease beef supply-chain woes
When one of the largest outbreaks of COVID-19 shut down JBS USA's meatpacking plant in Greeley for nine days in April, it sent a shockwave through the beef supply chain.
COVID-19 delivers bumpy ride for cannabis sales
Some in Colorado’s cannabis industry took a hit as the coronavirus pandemic prompted Gov. Jared Polis to shut down the state, but being considered an essential business has helped others.
Mask makers pivot back to pre-coronavirus products
Three Colorado companies — Dardano's, Knotty Tie Co., and Moore Collection — began making masks when stay-at-home orders started to go into affect. Now, the companies are figuring out how to get back to business
Olde Towne Arvada collaborates to help businesses survive
The close-knit community of independent businesses in downtown Arvada has always supported and looked out for each other, but the pandemic heightened those bonds.
Word is getting out about Florence's burgeoning arts scene
Thirty miles west of Pueblo, the small town of Florence is often associated with ADX Florence, or Supermax, the highest of high-security prisons. But it's not readily apparent that prisons are a dominant industry when you wander the streets of Florence. Public art abounds, as do antique stores and eateries, and there's charm and personality to the spare.
San Luis Valley keeps Colorado near the top in fresh spud output
The San Luis Valley, the world’s largest alpine valley, is often associated with the Great Sand Dunes, UFOs and vortexes. But its potato industry is another big, if more mundane, calling card.
In the COVID-19 era, farmers markets go online, curbside
Due to social-distancing restrictions brought on by COVID-19, the Boulder County Farmers Markets announced plans for a “virtual market,” with online ordering and curbside pickup at Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont. Other farmers markets are offering curbside pickup.
COVID-19 brings beer boom and bust
Beer sales are up, but not all breweries are benefiting. Here's what Colorado is drinking and how the state’s fabled craft brewers are innovating to stay afloat.
The future of restaurants is clouded by restrictions, fears
Along with travel-tourism, no Colorado industry has suffered more as a result of COVID-19 restrictions than restaurants. And as layoffs in state's restaurant industry surpass 150,000, uncertainty abounds. Here's what the head of the Colorado Restaurant Association had to say about it.
Luna Gourmet rebuilds and restores after fire, COVID-19
Not only is Luna Gourmet Coffee and Tea (which also owns Boyer’s Coffee) recovering from business disruptions due to COVID-19 closures, but they’re rebuilding after a fire took out their historic coffee roastery in North Denver. From lessons learned, to small victories achieved, here’s what the company’s owners, the Barrow brothers, are taking forward.
Mesa County breweries start to reopen and recover
After months of shutdown, initial Mesa County public health variances prevented breweries in the region from re-opening, causing sales to plummet even further than they already had. Now able to reopen, here is the story of how two Mesa County Breweries are dealing with the process of recovery.
Spark Grills aims to disrupt grilling with new funding round
Three years after its inception, Spark Grills is launching its sleek charcoal grill, app, and proprietary wood and charcoal Briqs system, which was invented by food and biomass scientists in Boulder. The startup’s system is meant to bring new precision and ease to charcoal grilling.
An Insider's Guide to the 2020 Fort Collins Startup Week
ColoradoBiz sat down with Nick Armstrong, CEO of WTF Marketing (the event organizer), to learn more about the event including insider tips, must-attend events and what’s new in the events fifth year.
