Few were immune to beer’s tough March, even the country’s largest beer vendors, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana.
Total beer dollar sales declined 2.5% and volume, measured in case sales, declined 4.2% in Circana-tracked off-premise channels (total U.S. + multi-outlet + convenience) for the four-week period ending March 23 (L4W). Year-to-date (YTD), roughly equivalent to the first quarter of 2025, total beer dollar sales declined 2.6% and volume 4.4%.
Only two beer segments recorded year-over-year (YoY) dollar sales growth in the L4W: domestic super premium (dollar sales +3.8%, volume +4%) and non-alcoholic (NA) beer (dollar sales +26.4%, volume +24.4%). Despite growth, domestic super premium recorded the largest YoY decline in share of both total beer dollar sales (-0.89 points, to 24.37%) and volume (-0.92 points, to 29.91%).
NA’s share of total beer dollars increased 0.3 points, to 1.32%, while its volume share increased 0.25 points, to 1.1%.
Imports, which have battled tough comps from 2024, recorded a 1.6% decline in dollar sales and 3.3% decline in volume in the L4W. However, the segment was the second largest share gainer in the category for both dollar sales (+0.24 points, to 24.7%) and volume (+0.18 points, to 20.13%).
Assorted beer recorded double-digit declines in the L4W (dollar sales -27.8%, volume -29.1%), with share of total beer dollars and volume both declining 0.01 points, to 0.03% and 0.02%, respectively.
All other segments recorded single-digit losses:
- Domestic premium dollar sales -6% YoY (total beer dollar share -0.89 points, to 24.37%), volume -7.1% (volume share -0.92 points, to 29.91%);
- Domestic sub-premium dollar sales -2.5% (share +0.24 points, to 24.7%), volume -4.5% (share -0.07 points, to 18.77%);
- Flavored malt beverages (FMB) dollar sales -0.7% (share +0.19 points, to 10.16%); volume -2.3% (share +0.15 points, to 7.58%);
- Craft dollar sales -5.1% (share -0.26 points, to 9.76%); volume -6.4% (share -0.16 points, to 6.85%).
Brewbound previously dove into craft trends, including Q1 performances for the segment’s top 30 brands.
Four of the top 25 beer vendors by YTD dollar sales recorded YoY off-premise dollar sales growth in the L4W, including:
- No. 4 Mark Anthony Brands (dollar sales +0.9%, volume -1.8%);
- No. 11 Sierra Nevada (dollar sales +1.8%, volume +1.5%);
- No. 12 Geloso Beverage (dollar sales +6.8%, volume +6.9%);
- No. 18 Athletic Brewing (dollar sales +23.6%, volume +26.2%).
Through Q1, the same four vendors were the only ones to record dollar sales growth YTD, along with No. 7 Diageo:
- Mark Anthony Brands (dollar sales +1.2%, volume -1.3%);
- Diageo (dollar sales +1%, volume -3.8%);
- Sierra Nevada (dollar sales +3.2%, volume +2.5%);
- Geloso Beverage (dollar sales +5.9%, volume +6.6%);
- Athletic Brewing (dollar sales +27.8%, volume +30%).
Of the 16 vendors to record YoY dollar sales losses in the L4W, five recorded double-digit declines:
- No. 9 Pabst Brewing (dollar sales -13.5%, volume -14.3%);
- No. 15 Tilray Brands (dollar sales -17.4%, volume -18.3%);
- No. 16 Heineken-owned Lagunitas (dollar sales -10.1%, volume -11.4%);
- No. 17 Sazerac (dollar sales -10%, volume -10.6%);
- No. 22 Monster Brewing (dollar sales -20.3%, volume -19%).
The vendors with the largest YoY losses – Tilray and Monster – both recently announced production changes as they each continue to organize hefty portfolios of acquired brands.
News broke Wednesday that Tilray will cease operations at Hop Valley Brewing in Eugene, Oregon, and transfer production to other breweries within the global cannabis company’s portfolio, effective in July. The next day, Monster Brewing announced it would cease operations in Utah, effective next month, moving production of Wasatch Brewing and Squatters Brewing beers to other facilities in its network.
Monster also made several production changes in 2024 that may be impacting its comps, including transitioning Cigar City’s Tampa production facility into a cross-category R&D hub in March and shuttering Deep Ellum’s Dallas brewery and taproom in May.
Note, Circana separates Monster Brewing’s FMB and new-to-the world brands from its craft acquisitions, labeling the latter as CANarchy (the former name for the portfolio, which Monster acquired in 2022). CANarchy ranked No. 25, and recorded single-digit declines in both dollar sales (-5.9%) and volume (-9.4%) in the L4W.
All other top 25 beer vendors recorded single-digit YoY dollar sales declines in the L4W:
- No. 1 Anheuser-Busch InBev (dollar sales -2.4%, volume -3.5%);
- No. 2 Constellation Brands (dollar sales -0.2%, volume -2.2%);
- No. 3 Molson Coors (dollar sales -5.5%, volume -6.8%);
- No. 5 Boston Beer Company (dollar sales -2.8%, volume -4.6%);
- No. 6 Heineken USA (dollar sales -5.7%, volume -6.9%);
- No. 7 Diageo (dollar sales -0.8%, volume -2.7%);
- No. 8 Kirin-Lion, parent company of New Belgium and Bell’s (dollar sales -4.1%, volume -5.6%);
- No. 10 Yuengling (dollar sales -5%, volume -5.6%);
- No. 13 FIFCO USA (dollar sales -7.9%, volume -9%):
- No. 14 Phusion Projects (dollar sales -7.9%, volume -10%);
- No. 19 The Gambrinus Company (dollar sales -6.6%, volume -6.5%);
- No. 20 Mahou USA (dollar sales -3.4%, volume -4.7%);
- No. 21 Sapporo USA (dollar sales -1.6%, volume +2.3%);
- No. 23 Duvel USA-owned Firestone Walker (dollar sales -2.7%, volume -3.3%);
- No. 24 Artisanal Brewing Ventures (dollar sales -7.8%, volume -9%);
Within the grocery channel four different vendors crack the top 25 list by YTD dollar sales, including:
- No. 22 Deschutes (dollar sales -1.3% YoY in the L4W, volume -6.2%);
- No. 23 Prestige Beverage Group (dollar sales +8.8%, volume +7.8%);
- No. 24 Happy Dad (dollar sales +6.2%, volume +4.2%);
- No. 25 2 Towns Ciderhouse (dollar sales +6.9%, volume +2.6%).
2 Towns, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, recently became the second largest cider brand in the grocery channel, behind Boston Beer Company’s Angry Orchard.
Beyond Prestige, Happy Dad and 2 Towns, four other top 25 vendors recorded dollar sales growth in grocery in the L4W, including:
- No. 3 Constellation (dollar sales +1%, volume -1%);
- No. 11 Sierra Nevada (dollar sales +2.2%, volume +2.8%);
- No. 14 Athletic Brewing (dollar sales +22.5%, volume +24.3%);
- And No. 16 Sapporo-Stone (dollar sales +4.9%, volume +10.7%).
Within c-stores, BeatBox Beverages cracks the top 25 at No. 20. The “party punch” brand has increased its grocery presence in the past year, recording triple-digit YoY growth in the L4W (dollar sales +237.4%, volume +236.8%).
Other vendors on the list that do not crack the top 25 in multi-outlets include No. 21 AriZona Beverages (dollar sales -8.9%, volume -10.7%) and No. 25 Happy Dad (dollar sales +37.6%, volume +40.2%).
Beyond BeatBox and Happy Dad, three other top vendors recorded YoY growth in c-stores in the L4W:
- No. 4 Mark Anthony (dollar sales +2.9%, volume -0.1%);
- No. 9 Geloso (dollar sales +5.5%, volume +5.4%);
- And No. 14 Sierra Nevada Brewing (dollar sales +0.2%, volume -1.7%).
C-store dollar sales for Kirin-Lion were flat YoY, while volume declined 0.9%. All other top 25 vendors in the channel recorded YoY declines.