Circana: Craft Dollar Sales -4.8%, Volume -6.4% in L4W; Grocery Providing Largest Growth for Top 30 Craft

Total craft trends improved slightly in the last four weeks (ending July 14), with dollar sales declining -4.8% year-over-year (YoY) and volume -6.4% in Circana-tracked off-premise channels (total U.S. multi-outlet plus convenience), according to the market research firm’s latest monthly report.

While still in decline YoY, craft improved versus the previous four-week period (ending June 16), when dollar sales declined -5.2% and volume -6.8%, as the segment benefitted from the July 4 holiday in the latest scans.

Craft performance remains significantly below total beer trends, with total beer dollar sales declining -0.8% and volume -2.5% in the last four weeks (L4W). Similarly, craft YTD declines (dollar sales -3.3%, volume -3.9%) were larger than total beer (dollar sales -0.5%, volume -2.4%).

Craft recorded the fourth largest declines in multi-outlet retailers in the L4W, after assorted (dollar sales -37.4% YoY, volume -38.6%), hard seltzer (dollar sales -9.9%, volume -12.8%) and domestic premium (dollar sales -5.4%, volume -6.6%). Hard cider was also in decline (dollar sales -2.9%, volume -4.6%).

While convenience was the channel of opportunity and growth for craft in 2023, the segment has not kept up with comps, and recorded the largest declines in the channel versus multi-outlets and grocery. Craft dollar sales declined -5.3% YoY and volume -7.5% in the L4W, an acceleration in the declines recorded in the previous four-week period (dollar sales -4.6%, volume -6.8%). YTD, craft dollar sales declined -2% and volume -3.9% in c-stores.

Total beer dollar sales declined -1.8% and volume -4.1% in c-stores in the L4W. The majority of beer segments recorded YoY declines in the period, except for imports (dollar sales +2.5%, volume +1%), flavored malt beverages (dollar sales +5.1%, volume +3.2%), domestic super premium (dollar sales +0.6%, volume +0.6%) and non-alcoholic beer (dollar sales +26.9%, volume +22.5%).

In grocery, craft dollar sales declined -3.9% and volume -5.3% YoY in the L4W, improving over the previous four-week period (dollar sales -4.8%, volume -5.9%). YTD craft dollar sales declined -3.3% and volume -4.7%.

Total beer dollar sales were nearly flat in the L4W (-0.3%), while volume declined -1.7%. Other segments in decline in the channel include domestic premiums (dollar sales -2.6%, volume -3.7%), hard seltzer (dollar sales -11.6%, volume -13.5%), hard cider (dollar sales -1.1%, volume -2.9%) and assorted (dollar sales -37.4%, volume -38.7%).

Georgetown Bodhizafa IPA Back in Top 30; Top Craft Finding Growth in Grocery

Georgetown Brewing’s Bodhizafa IPA returned to the top 30 craft brands list in multi-outlet plus convenience channels, after falling off in Circana’s previous report. The IPA ranked No. 29 in YTD dollar sales, and increased dollar sales +15.7% and volume +17.4% YoY in the L4W.

Eight other top 30 craft brands recorded YoY gains in the L4W:

No. 2 Kirin-owned New Belgium Voodoo Ranger imperial IPA (dollar sales +5.6%, volume +3.4%);
No. 3 Voodoo Ranger Juice Force (dollar sales +7.7%, volume +5.7%);
No. 4 Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing (dollar sales +8.6%, volume +7.4%);
No. 8 Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned (A-B) Kona Big Wave (dollar sales +10.6%, volume +8.9%);
No. 11 Boston Beer Company’s Samuel Adams seasonal (dollar sales +3.6%, volume +2.6%);
No. 19 Molson Coors’ Blue Moon Light (dollar sales +3.9%, volume +1.9%);
No. 21 A-B’s Goose Island Tropical Beer Hug (dollar sales +16.2%, volume +14.9%);
No. 25 A-B’s Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA (dollar sales +18.6%, volume +16.6%).

Meanwhile, Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing, previously ranked No. 30 in YTD dollar sales, fell off the top 30 list. In the previous four-week period, the brand recorded a -10.3% decline in dollar sales and volume.

Twelve of the top 30 craft brands YTD recorded double-digit declines in the L4W:

No. 6 Molson Coors-owned Leinenkugel’s shandy seasonal (dollar sales -11.1%, volume -13.8%);
No. 7 The Gambrinus Company’s Shiner Bock (dollar sales -11%, volume -11.9%);
No. 15 Kirin-owned New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Fruit Force (dollar sales -25.6%, volume -26.9%);
No. 16 Samuel Adams Boston Lager (dollar sales -12.5%, volume -14.8%);
No. 20 New Belgium Voodoo Ranger hoppy variety pack (dollar sales -23.2%, volume -24.7%);
No. 22 Heineken-owned Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ (dollar sales -12%, volume -13.7%);
No. 23 Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze (dollar sales -21.8%, volume 23.2%);
No. 24 New Belgium Fat Tire (dollar sales -24.3%, volume -25.4%);
No. 26 Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra (dollar sales -17.1%, volume -19.1%);
No. 27 Voodoo Ranger IPA (dollar sales -18.4%, volume -19.6%);
No. 28 Kirin-owned Bell’s seasonal (dollar sales -10.4%, volume -11.5%);
No. 30 A-B’s Goose Island IPA (dollar sales -11%, volume -9.1%).

Twenty of the top 30 craft brands in c-stores recorded YoY declines, 14 of which were double-digit declines. Of those 14 brands, 10 recorded an acceleration in declines from the previous four-week period, including:

No. 5 A-B’s Elysian Space Dust, dollar sales -14.8%, volume -15.1% (previous dollar sales -10.1%, volume -10.9%);
No. 6 Shiner Bock, dollar sales -18.9%, volume -20.3% (previous dollar sales -16.4%, volume -17.3%);
No. 7 Voodoo Ranger Fruit Force, dollar sales -22.7%, volume -24% (previous dollar sales -18.8%, volume -19.5%);
No. 16 Monster Brewing’s Cigar City Jai Alai, dollar sales -10.3%, volume -11.8% (previous dollar sales -3.7%, volume -5.1%);
No. 21 Voodoo Ranger IPA, dollar sales -25.1%, volume -26.3% (previous dollar sales -21%, volume -22.9%);
No. 22 Lagunitas Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’, dollar sales -14.7%, volume -17% (previous dollar sales -8.1%, volume -11.5%);
No. 23 Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing, dollar sales -16.8%, volume -18.2% (previous dollar sales -10.7%, volume -12.7%);
No. 25 Samuel Adams Boston Lager, dollar sales -17%, volume -17.4% (previous dollar sales -13.7%, volume -11.6%);
No. 26 Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra, dollar sales -26.9%, volume -27.4% (previous dollar sales -10.7%, volume -12.7%);
No. 27 Tiray-owned 10 Barrel Pub Lager, dollar sales -25.2%, volume -26.5% (previous dollar sales -2.4%, volume -2.2%).

Again, grocery provided greater growth opportunity for top 30 craft, with nearly half (13) in the black in the L4W. Four brands recorded double-digit gains YoY: