News

Days ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, the Brewbound team catches up on beer prices – at home and across the pond – and how Independence Day is stacking up as a heat wave sets in for much of the country.

Despite positive bev-alc trends reported earlier this week, the industry remains deeply in the red in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels as liquor sales continue to drag, according to the latest weekly report from the market research firm.

After a rocky end to Q1, things are looking up for Constellation Brands in Q2, CEO Nicholas Fink shared during his first earnings call with investors Wednesday morning.

Kroger has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire regional grocery chain Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion, marking the company’s first major acquisition since its proposed megamerger with Albertsons collapsed in 2024.

Constellation Brands had a stronger start to its fiscal year 2027 (FY27) than the prior year, recording beer division growth in Q1, according to financial details released today.

Columbia Distributing has completed its acquisition of certain wine and spirits distribution rights from Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) in Oregon and Washington, adding approximately 850,000 cases to its portfolio across both states.

Plant-based beverage maker Elmhurst 1925 has always been ambitious in its broad approach to innovation, be it through milk alternatives, protein drinks or sour cream. Now, it’s going hard.

There’s still more beer demand in the future, according to beer wholesalers’ crystal balls.

The time is right for founders of scaled ready-to-drink (RTD) brands to consider exits with the emergence of a “classic seller’s market,” Arlington Capital Advisors managing director Townsend Ziebold declared earlier this month at the Beer Marketer’s Insights business conference.

Total beverage-alcohol dollar sales turned positive year-over-year [YoY] (+0.8%) and week-over-week [WoW] (+1.7%) in the week ending June 21, according to the latest weekly report from market research firm Circana. Off-premise dollar sales reached $1.542 billion during the week, which featured several drinking-centric occasions, including Father’s Day celebrations and nearly two weeks of World Cup play. Volume, measured in case sales, declined 1.9%.

Untitled Art is ceasing operations after a decade, the New School reported, citing “internal sources and memos circulated around the company employees and partners.”

Most founders build to scale, but Adam Kost, founder of ready-to-drink brand Dirty Shirley, built to prove. In a saturated market, Dirty Shirley was structured from day one as a market-validation project that was lean, disciplined, design-led and deliberately positioned for an early strategic exit – which it got.

Craft dollar sales declines stabilized to start the summer selling season after a period of worsening trends. In the four-week period (L4W) ending June 14, craft dollar sales declined 4.6% year-over-year (YoY) at multi-outlet grocery, mass retail and convenience stores (MULO+C) tracked by market research firm Circana. This marked no change in momentum from Circana’s previous monthly report (data ending May 17), which itself reflected a doubling of dollar sales declines compared to the prior period (-2.3% YoY L4W through April 19).

Keg 1 Management is wheeling and dealing. The multi-state distribution platform/consolidator’s Keg 1 Missouri subsidiary announced a deal to acquire more than 1 million cases from Fechtel Beverage & Sales in Central Missouri.