Net sales of Constellation Brands’ beer portfolio — including Mexican import labels Corona, Modelo and Pacifico — topped $6 billion, an 8% increase, in fiscal year 2021, the company shared today while reporting its full-year earnings.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced most Americans to stay home except for essential errands last spring, on-demand alcohol delivery e-commerce platform Drizly’s sales skyrocketed. “We saw years’ worth of growth — five years’ worth of growth — in just a three-month timeframe,” Drizly chief operating officer Cathy Lewenberg said.

Constellation Brands is making a pair of executive moves, placing Jim Sabia in charge of the company’s beer division and promoting Mallika Monteiro to the expanded role of chief growth, strategy and digital officer. Those moves take effect on March 1.

Grupo Modelo, the Mexican business division of Anheuser-Busch InBev, has filed a lawsuit against Constellation Brands, alleging that the company is “misusing and misappropriating” the Corona trademark with Corona Hard Seltzer.

CANarchy-owned Deep Ellum Brewing and Oskar Blues are now selling beer-to-go in Texas after a federal judge sided with the company in a legal dispute with the state’s regulatory agency.

WWE star Rey Mysterio is the new brand ambassador for Constellation Brands’ Victoria Beer brand. Mysterio, regarded in the pro wrestling world as one of the greatest luchadors of all time, kicked off the partnership Sunday night during the wrestling circuit’s first major event of the year, the Royal Rumble.

The first major beer drinking occasion of the year is less than a week away as nearly 100 million viewers are expected to tune into Super Bowl LV between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on February 7. How big is the Super Bowl for the industry? “It is still a big deal for Q1 volumes and is a big jump compared to other weeks in Q1,” National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones said.

The biggest challenge the producer of popular Mexican import brands Corona, Modelo and Pacifico faced in 2020 came in March when the Mexican government ordered the shutdown of all manufacturing industries, including beer. This pause in production led to depleted inventory that was still being replenished into the third quarter and created a gap between shipments (sales to wholesalers) and depletions (sales to retailers) growth.

Cerveza Victoria has launched a marketing campaign featuring a new augmented reality activation designed to generate social media engagement and to celebrate this year’s Dia de Los Muertos Holiday.

Florida’s craft brewery, Funky Buddha, is making a splash with their Funky Buddha Premium Hard Seltzer (4.5% ABV) product line entering the popular fast-growing hard seltzer market. With an unbeatable focus on flavor and quality ingredients, Funky Buddha’s new Premium Hard Seltzers are available in four vibrant, natural flavors: Tropical Mango Guava, Lush Key Lime Cherry, Juicy Blood Orange, and Crisp Pink Grapefruit.

Constellation Brands and WWE this week announced a partnership to make Mexican import brand Victoria the “Official Beer of SummerSlam,” the wrestling promotion’s second largest event of the year slated for August 2021.