August Supply -1% As Import Comps Recalibrate, per Beer Institute
August’s beer supply improved to down 1% year-over-year (YoY) due to an imports bounceback, according to the latest report from the Beer Institute (BI).
News
Craft beer industry news.
Deschutes Tags Into Hard Sports Drink Segment with Firelyte
A new player has stepped onto the hard sports drink field. Firelyte (4.5% ABV) – a sports drink-inspired flavored malt beverage (FMB) from Bend, Oregon-headquartered Deschutes Brewery – rolled out last week.
Health Claims Pose Potential Regulatory Hurdle for Hard Sports Drink Makers
Non-carbonated hard sports drinks may look and taste similar to Gatorade, Powerade and Body Armour, but they are forbidden from making health-related claims or even calling themselves sports drinks, McDermott, Will & Schulte partner Alva Mather reminded attendees during a recent webinar.
Accelerated Beer Losses & RTD Slowdown Drive Q3 Downturn in Circana Scans
Beer losses and a slowdown in ready-to-drink cocktail sales drove the accelerated declines in Q3, according to the latest weekly off-premise report from market research firm Circana.
Feds’ Southern Glazer’s Bribery Probe Could Serve as ‘Template’ For Future Investigations
Federal agencies could use the Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits bribery probe as a “template” for future investigations into middle-tier pay-to-play schemes, McDermott Will & Schulte partner Julian André shared during the law firm’s webinar last week.
Fall Chill Hits Beer Ordering in ‘Contractionary’ September Beer Purchasers’ Index
The beer industry has logged an inauspicious start to autumn, according to the latest Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) from the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA).
Insider’s Week in Beer: 🥶 Pop-Tarts Turns Frosty on BuzzBallz Collab
The sharp minds at the MARS INC. legal department seem to have caught on to potential issues raised by uh, everybody, around their POP-TARTS subsidiary doing an alcoholic beverage collab with Sazerac’s BuzzBallz.
FTC Settlement Puts Southern Glazer’s Chain Pricing Under Watch
The deal, announced today, caps the price gap between chains and nearby independents, and orders SGWS to pay retailers directly if it violates the settlement going forward.
Hiyo Closes $20.8M Series B as Distribution Footprint Surges
Non-alcoholic social tonic maker Hiyo has closed an oversubscribed $20.8 million Series B round as it looks to build on its rapidly expanding retail footprint and push deeper into live entertainment and nightlife.
Press Clips: People Moves at A-B, BrewDog & Molson Coors, the Walmart-ification of Kroger and More
Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) VP legal and corporate affairs Cesar Vargas will retire in April 2027, ending a nearly decade-long stint with the company.
Can Craft Take A Page From Imports’ Playbook? Bump Williams Says Yes
Craft’s off-premise declines accelerated last month as summer came to a close. As beer enters its slow season, those losses aren’t expected to improve much, but that could change if craft leans into the seasonal anomalies of imports, according to a new report from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC).
Two Roads Joins US Beverage Sales Platform in Wake of B3 Exit
Two Roads Brewing is the latest craft brewery to form a sales partnership with U.S. Beverage (USB). The relationship kicked off on September 14, according to a press release.
Spirits-Based RTD Sales +21% in Latest NIQ Weekly Scans; Surfside, Super Lyte, Sun Cruiser, Cutwater & BuzzBallz Lead Growth
Prepared cocktails recorded another strong performance in NIQ’s weekly off-premise scans report, as the rest of the industry continues to tackle year-over-year (YoY) declines.
Diageo to Shut Down Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore
The Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore will permanently close to the public on November 1, Diageo shared today.