Craft’s off-premise performance over the last four weeks has been a tale of two channels.
Craft’s struggles this year have come in its largest channel, grocery, where dollar sales have declined 6.7%, to $1.44 billion, and volume has fallen 7.9% year-to-date (YTD) through August 10, according to data shared by market research firm Circana.
The four-week trendline in grocery was essentially flat with dollar sales declining 6.3% and volume falling 7.7%.
The convenience channel has been more forgiving to craft, with dollar sales down 0.8% and volume declining 2.8% YTD. Those trends turn to growth in the latest four weeks (L4W), with dollar sales up 2.8% and volume growing 0.5%. That marked an acceleration from growing dollars 0.8% and declining volume 1.1% in the four weeks ending July 13.
Craft’s performance in c-stores was a notable improvement from the segment’s overall performance over the last month, as dollar sales declined 3.1% and volume fell 4.9% in Circana-tracked off-premise channels.
Craft’s YTD trends stand at -4.7% dollars and -6.2% volume. Craft has recorded more than $2.678 billion in dollar sales, marking a more than $131 million decline compared to a year ago.
In c-stores, the top-two selling craft beer brands – New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA and Voodoo Ranger Juice Force Hazy Imperial IPA – accelerated dollar sales in the four-week period to +11% (+6.9% YTD) and +16.9% (+12.7% YTD), respectively.
Juice Force has posted the most growth among the top-30 craft brands in c-stores, adding more than $7.1 million in sales (nearly $10.4 million overall YTD). Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA (nearly $66.6 million) and Juice Force ($63.4 million) are neck and neck for the top-selling craft beer brand spot in c-stores.
Eight other craft brands pulled double-digit dollar sales growth in convenience over the L4W, including:
- Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) Elysian Space Dust IPA, +11.8%;
- A-B’s Goose Island Tropical Beer Hug DDH double IPA, +33.6%;
- A-B’s Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA, +15%;
- Heineken’s Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale, +27.9%;
- Georgetown Bodhizafa IPA, +12.2%;
- A-B’s Goose Island Big Juicy Beer Hug imperial IPA, +27.8%;
- Fiddlehead IPA, +15.9%;
- And Tilray Brands’ SweetWater 420 extra pale ale, +36.4%.
A ninth brand, Gambrinus’ Shiner Bock, was right on the cusp with dollar sales up 9.9%.
Price Check: Average Craft Case Price at $43.86 YTD
Across all Circana-tracked channels, craft beer’s average case price YTD through early August is up $0.71, to $43.86. Over the L4W, the average price is up $0.80, to $43.82.
Several brewers have increased prices over the L4W, including some by more than $1:
- Molson Coors’ Blue Moon Belgian White (+$2.79, to $40.96);
- Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA (+$1.01, to $45.54);
- Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (+$1, to $42.22);
- Molson Coors’ Leinenkugel’s Shandy (+$1.25, to $38.21);
- Heineken’s Lagunitas IPA (+$1.95, to $44.45);
- A-B’s Goose Island Tropical Beer Hug DDH double IPA (+$1.35, to $49.66);
- Tilray’s Cigar City Jai Alai IPA (+$2.42, to $49.89);
- Heineken’s Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ (+$4.75, to $45.58);
- Georgetown Bodhizafa IPA (+$3.82, to $54.17);
- Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA (+$1.33, to $41.23)
- Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing imperial IPA (+$2.59, to $48.72).
Six brands have taken price down in the L4W and only one has dropped price more than $1: A-B’s Kona Big Wave Golden Ale (-$1.20, to $35.69).
In convenience, craft beer’s average case price is up $0.96, to $48.23 YTD through early August. Price is up even more in the L4W, increasing $1.06 to $48.38.
Georgetown Bodhizafa IPA recorded the biggest price increase in convenience (+$3.22, to $57.85) over the last month, followed by Sierra Nevada Big Little Thing IPA (+$3.10, to $52.98).
In grocery, craft beer’s average case price is up $0.55, to $42.35 YTD. In the L4W, craft’s average price increased $0.63, to $42.38, largely in line with the YTD trend.
The biggest grocery price increases in the L4W included:
- Blue Moon (+$3.46, to $39.46);
- Leinenkugel’s Shandy (+$1.27, 50 $37.54);
- Lagunitas IPA (+$1.97, to $41.52);
- Cigar City Jai Alai (+$3.61, to $47.44);
- Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ (+$5.81, to $42.51);
- New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Tropic Force IPA (+$1.30, to $49.25);
- Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA (+$1, to $39.66);
- Georgetown Bodhizafa IPA (+$4.11, to $51.60).
A-B’s Golden Road Mango Cart wheat ale took price down the most (-$2.10, to $34.21) in grocery over the last month, followed by sibling brand Kona Big Wave (-$1.45, to $33.53).
Blue Moon’s price increases have not offset the brand’s declining dollar sales. The brand has shed more than $14 million in sales compared to a year ago, more than any other top-30 craft brand. Blue Moon is in the red both YTD (dollar sales -8.7%, volume -13.7%) and in the L4W (dollar sales -7.8%, volume -14%).