Numerator: 44% of Consumers to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
More consumers plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year compared to 2022, according to data insights firm Numerator. In 2023, 44% of consumers are planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (Friday, March 17), up from 30% of consumers in 2022, the firm reported.
The data comes from a survey of nearly 1,600 consumers and purchase data.
Of those planning to celebrate, 28% will gather with friends and family, while 27% plan to go out to eat or drink, Numerator reported.
Numerator also found that 36% of St. Patrick’s Day celebrants plan to buy alcoholic beverages, with beer the choice of 70% of those buying alcoholic beverages, followed by spirits (34%) and wine (29%). The beer of choice for half of consumers will be lagers, while one-third (31%) will tip stouts. Meanwhile, 29% of Generation Z and Millennials planning to celebrate say they will buy hard seltzers.
Numerator reported that Irish offerings such as Guinness and Smithwick’s double their household penetration in March compared to the average month. Guinness also moves up the charts to the ninth best selling beer for the month of March.
Additionally, Numerator reported that the beer category as a whole benefits from St. Patrick’s Day, with beer’s household penetration increasing 2.3 points in March compared to February (46.8% in March compared to 44.5% February). In 2022, off-premise sales of beer (-3%), wine (-5%) and spirits (-3%), all declined, while sales of ready-to-drink offerings increased (+3%). Styles growing in 2022 included non-alcoholic beer (+18%), flavored malt beverages (+5%) and tequila (+4%), while light lagers (-5%), Irish whiskey (-8%), craft beer (-9%) and stouts (-19%) each declined.
NielsenIQ reported that off-premise dollar sales of beverage alcohol for St. Patrick’s Day 2022 (the two week period ending March 19, 2022), totaled $3.2 billion, a -3.2% decline compared to 2021. The beer category dominated sales (53%), followed by spirits (24%) and wine (23%).
Meanwhile, on-premise data insights firm CGA, reported that one-in-three consumers plan to visit bars and restaurants on St. Patrick’s Day, with sports bars, neighborhood bars and Irish bars being the most frequented. In fact, 47% of 21- to 34-year-old consumers said they plan to make a trip to an on-premise establishment. The majority of consumers (55%) are expected to choose beer as their beverage of choice, followed by whiskey (34%).
A-B’s Brewers Collective Shuffles Leadership
In the wake of shutting down Platform Beer Co.’s operations in Ohio and laying off workers at its other craft breweries, Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) has reshuffled its leadership within its Brewers Collective craft beer division.
An A-B spokesperson confirmed the following moves:
- Hayes Humphreys has been promoted to vice president, regional craft for the northeast region, overseeing Devils Backbone, Cisco Brewers, and Blue Point Brewing Company;
- Matt O’Neill has been promoted to sales director for northeast regional craft, covering the same three breweries.
Craft Business Daily first noted Humphreys’ promotion.
Additionally, Carrie Shafir, who worked for the last eight years at A-B, last serving as VP of marketing for the Brewers Collective, departed the company in January “to pursue other opportunities,” an A-B spokesperson told Brewbound.
Anheuser-Busch Redirects Burkhardt Sale to 3 Florida Wholesalers
In a surprise twist, A-B has redirected the sale of its portfolio in St. Augustine and Gainesville by Burkhardt Sales & Service from Mitchell Companies in Mississippi to three Florida A-B wholesalers: Tri-Eagle Sales, Daytona Beverages, and North Florida Sales. The move was first reported by Beer Marketer’s Insights. Brewbound confirmed the transaction with an A-B spokesperson.
“Our priority is the health of our brands and strengthening our route-to-market in partnership with our independent wholesalers,” the spokesperson said in a statement shared with Brewbound. “As a result of our review of the proposed transaction, the Gainesville and St. Augustine territories that are currently serviced by Burkhardt Distributing will now be assigned to and serviced [by] three longstanding contiguous Florida wholesalers, Tri-Eagle, Daytona Beverages, and North Florida Sales.”
Daytona Beverages owner Kevin Bowler told Brewbound that his company is pleased to receive “the opportunity to grow our business with Anheuser-Busch and the other fine suppliers that Burkhardt Sales and Service represent.”
“We also look forward to working side by side with the great team of employees that have served this retail community so well over the years,” Bowler added. “We will provide more information as we become more familiar with the details of the transaction.”
The Burkhardt deal with Mitchell for 4.2 million cases was first announced in November.
Markstein to Sell Rest of Business to Donaghy
Following the sale of its Constellation Brands and Sierra Nevada portfolios to the Reyes Beer Division, Markstein Beverage Co. of Sacramento will sell its remaining 8.5 million case business – including Anheuser-Busch and Firestone Walker – to Donaghy Sales, Beer Marketer’s Insights first reported. The deal is pending supplier approvals.
Insights noted that Markstein was the last A-B distributor in California with the Constellation portfolio, ending the forced distributor consolidations that began in 2018 with Markstein Beverage Co. in northern San Diego County.
Altria Could Sell $11 Billion Stake in A-B Following Juul Loss
Altria Group, a global tobacco portfolio company, may be entertaining the sale of its $11 billion stake in A-B, Barron’s reported.
Last week, Altria divested its minority interest in e-cigarette producer Juul, valued at $250 million, in exchange for Juul heated-tobacco intellectual property. The exchange resulted in significant capital loss, as Altria’s interest was initially valued at $12.8 billion, which “can only be offset by capital gains, not ordinary income from Altria’s cigarette and other businesses,” New York-based tax expert Robert Willens told Barron’s.
A capital gain option could be Altria’s nearly 10% stake in A-B.
“This might be the time for Altria to finally monetize its ABI stake, which in light of the large capital loss it now has at its disposal, can be done on what amounts to a tax-free basis,” Willens told Barron’s.
A month after saying Altria planned to keep its ABI stake, CFO Sal Manusco said there was “nothing new to report on the ABI asset” Monday during a business update call with investors:
“As you know, it’s an asset – it’s a financial investment that we hold on our balance sheet. So any future plans, of course, we will communicate those to you, but nothing new to report on that.”
Carlsberg CEO to Retire
Carlsberg CEO Cees ‘T Hart will retire after eight years of leading the multinational Danish brewer by the end of the third quarter.
“It has been a privilege leading Carlsberg the past eight years. I’m immensely proud of the organisation and the results we as a team have achieved,” ‘T Hart said in a release. “The Executive Committee and the Extended Leadership Team are strong, resilient and well aligned on the strategic plans and ambitions for SAIL’27. I’m confident the successful journey of Carlsberg will continue well into the future.
“Staying on board for another half a year will allow me and the team to continue delivering on our challenging plans for 2023 and accomplishing the sale of the Russian business before the summer. Thereafter, I’ll focus on some interesting non-executive roles.”
Lewis Bear, Jr. Died Last Week at Age 82
Lewis Bear, Jr., president and CEO of The Lewis Bear Company, an independent Anheuser-Busch distributor, died last week at the age of 82.
Bear joined his family’s distribution business in 1965 and has served as president and CEO since 1985. The Pensacola, Florida-based company is the “oldest, continuously family-owned Anehsuer-Busch wholesale distributor in the world,” according to Bear’s obituary.
Bear also established the Bear Family Foundation in 2007, which has since contributed nearly $14 million to 114 nonprofit organizations. The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) honored Bear with its Life Service Award in October.
“[Bear] valued each and every employee here at the company and appreciated their dedication and commitment to our business,” The Lewis Bear Company wrote in a Facebook post. “We are very grateful that we had him leading our company for over 50 years and providing opportunities and life-long careers for our employees and their families.”