Post-Memorial Day weekend scans “retraced to expected level[s]” in the latest report by market research firm Circana.
Total bev-alc dollar sales in Circana-tracked off-premise channels were down 3.2% year-over-year (YoY) and 6% week-over-week (WoW) for the week ending June 1, the firm reported. Bev-alc volume declined 5.3% YoY.
The latest declines follow a “lackluster” Memorial Day weekend. In the week-ending May 25, total bev-alc dollar sales were 5.1% below 2024 levels, while volume fell 7.3%.
“Upcoming, 4th of July celebrations are a bit in the distance, but hopefully we see summer sales pick-up in advance,” Circana EVP, BevAl, Scott Scanlon wrote. “We are in a traditionally positive span of weeks prior to the holiday, but overtaking last year[‘s] data comps will likely prove challenging outside the positive brands illustrated below.”
In beer, those brands include (in order of year-to-date dollar sales):
- Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) Michelob Ultra (dollar sales +1.5% YoY, volume +1.7%);
- A-B’s Busch (dollar sales +2.5%, volume +1%);
- Constellation Brands’ Pacifico (dollar sales +21.8%, volume +18.6%);
- Geloso Beverage’s Clubtails (dollar sales +6.4%, volume +3.2%);
- Boston Beer Company’s Angry Orchard (dollar sales +4.6%, volume +3.6%);
- Molson Coors’ Topo Chico Hard Seltzer (dollar sales +2.3%, volume +0.9%);
- Constellation’s Victoria (dollar sales +41.3%, volume +39%);
- Athletic (dollar sales +18.8%, volume +18.8%);
- A-B’s Goose Island (dollar sales +9.2%, volume +0.7%);
- Kirin-owned Bell’s (dollar sales +2%, volume +1.6%);
- And A-B’s Elysian (dollar sales +4.1%, volume +3.8%).
Beer once again led YoY declines in the latest scans, with dollar sales down 4.5% and volume 5.9% YoY. In the last four weeks, beer dollar sales declined 4.1% – the second largest YoY decline in the period behind wine (-4.8%) – while volume was down 5.5% (in line with wine).
Within beer, three segments were still able to find dollar sales growth: Non-alcoholic (dollar sales +20.8%, volume +24.3%); domestic super premium (dollar sales +0.7%, volume +1%); and hard cider (dollar sales +0.2%, volume -0.2%).
Hard seltzer led YoY declines in the category (dollar sales -8%, volume -10.7%), followed by domestic premium (dollar sales -6.9%, volume -8.2%); flavored malt beverages (dollar sales -6.4%, volume -8.7%); craft (dollar sales -5.4%, volume -7.3%); imports (dollar sales -3.6%, volume -5.4%); and domestic sub-premium (dollar sales -3.2%, volume -4.5%).
Wine also recorded steeper declines in the latest week compared to overall bev-alc trends. The category posted a dollar sales loss of 3.7% and volume loss of 4.3%.
Beer-, wine- and spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) recorded better dollar sales trends (-1.2%), but led volume declines (-6%). RTDs are now in the red for the last four weeks (dollar sales -0.9%, volume -5.9%).
Spirits was the only segment to record growth in the latest week (dollar sales +2.5%, volume +4.2%), and also outperformed four-week trends (dollar sales +1.5%, volume +3.6%).
RTD brands continue to lead growth among the top 50 spirits brands, with double-digit gains recorded by (in order of YTD dollar sales):
- Gallo-owned BuzzBallz (dollar sales +85.5%, volume +97.2%);
- BeatBox (dollar sales +33.6%, volume +31%);
- A-B’s Cutwater (dollar sales +17.4%, volume +12.2%);
- A-B’s Nütrl (dollar sales +15.3%, volume +12.7%);
- Atomic Brands’ Monaco Cocktails (dollar sales +23%, volume +24.8%);
- Suntory’s On the Rocks (dollar sales +12.1%, volume +4.8%);
- Patco Brands’ Big Sipz (dollar sales +67.5%, volume +65.3%);
- And Carbliss (dollar sales +72.1%, volume +73.8%).
Double-digit growth was also recorded by Don Julio (dollar sales +18.6%, volume +19.8%) and 99 (dollar sales +13.5%, volume +12.4%).