Two months after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) completed a review of Kroger and Albertsons’ proposed supermarket mega-merger and filed a lawsuit to block the deal, the grocery chains have added more store locations and assets to an updated version of their definitive divestiture agreement with C&S Wholesalers.

Pernod Ricard-owned Corby Spirit and Wine, Canada’s second largest marketer and distributor of spirits and wines, has agreed to purchase RTD brand Nude for $8 million ($11 million CAD).

Ahead of the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC), which officially kicks off today (Monday, April 22), Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bob Pease shared his thoughts on the largest gathering of craft brewers, the turbulent times the trade group’s members are facing, the organization’s own changes and conversations he and Dr. J Jackson-Beckham have taken part in regards to the 2023 event.

Well MILLER LITE, you had ample opportunity … but the IRON CITY BEER folks have stolen your thunder (and apparently read this newsletter). Yes, ladies & gentlemen … I give you IRON CITY BEER BUNS! Yes, the PITTSBURGH Brewing Company has partnered with MANCINI’s Bakery and contributed their spent grain to create these beer-y delicious baked goods, apparently just in time for yinzers to enjoy on uh, National Picnic Day. 🤷

Four Black-owned craft beverage-alcohol brands are uniting in California to create a strategic alliance greater than the sum of its parts. The Circle of Crowns Beverage Group (CCBG) includes Inglewood-based Crowns and Hops, Fresno-based Full Circle Brewing and its sister brands Speakeasy Ales and Lagers and Sonoma Cider.

The 2024 Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) and BrewExpo America will take place from April 21-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted by the Brewers Association (BA).

The highlight of every Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) for me is Brewers Association (BA) chief economist Bart Watson’s “State of the Industry” presentation. Watson gives a data-filled pulse check on the health of the industry, insights on where the business is heading and some much needed real talk on the future now that growth isn’t a given.

After missing Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in 2023, I’m so excited for this year’s event to reconnect with industry friends and learn more about what will impact craft beer in 2024.

The Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) was the first industry event I ever attended, so I see it as the unofficial start to a new year. It’s also a great pulse check on how the industry – and all the folks you catch up with – have changed and evolved since the last CBC.

Before you head to Las Vegas for the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference, we’ve put together a primer of Brewers Association (BA) stories (and one video) from the past six months to help you prepare. Consider this the CliffsNotes version.

Brewers Association (BA) director of social impact Dr. J Jackson-Beckham joins this week’s Brewbound Podcast to preview the THRIVE pre-conference workshop, which takes place Sunday, April 21, ahead of this year’s Craft Brewers Conference (CBC). Dr. J discusses the increased focus on wellness during this year’s conference and how those elements are threaded throughout CBC.

A pair of New England craft breweries have shared the results of their philanthropic efforts. Portland, Maine’s Allagash Brewing and Waitsfield, Vermont’s Lawson’s Finest Liquids each shared their respective impact reports this month.

Consumer sentiment toward Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) Bud Light continues to decline more than a year after the initial boycott of the brand, according to a HundredX survey, shared by Goldman Sachs in its latest Beverage Bytes report.

Last week in existential musings on the spirit industry, analysts asked the question: What if growth doesn’t return after destocking is done?