Drizly Predicts Continued Growth for Beyond Beer and IPA Segments
Drizly offered insights into sales of two of the online marketplace’s most popular beer category segments: IPAs and beyond beer, or “hard alternatives,” in the company’s parlance.
In 2020, hard seltzer accounted for 21% of Drizly’s beer category sales — making seltzers the No. 1 beer category offering on the platform — and grew 495% year-over-year.
Given the popularity of hard seltzer, Drizly predicts that other beyond beer offerings are poised for growth in 2021. Hard kombucha, lemonade and iced tea made up almost 3% of Drizy’s total beer sales in 2021, but each segment posted impressive year-over-year growth on the platform:
- Hard kombucha — +2,134%
- Hard iced tea — +462%
- Hard lemonade — +440%.
IPAs were Drizly’s second best selling beer category style, making up 19% of all beer sales on the platform in 2020. The style’s sales increased 761% in 2020, outpacing Drizly’s overall 350% year-over-year growth, spurred on by consumers’ adoption of online ordering during the pandemic forced shutdowns. Drizly director of consumer insights Liz Paquette said she expects IPA subsegments to continue growing in 2021.
Ardagh Proposes New Can Manufacturing Company
Beverage packaging company Ardagh Group has proposed spinning off its can packaging operations into a new entity combined with Gores Holdings V, pending shareholder approval, according to a press release.
Ardagh Metal Packaging, the new venture, intends to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AMBP. The new company is expected to be valued at $8.5 billion.
Ardagh is the third largest can supplier in North America, where the can industry is facing a years-long shortage after the COVID-19 pandemic forced changes in consumer behavior that pushed more drinkers toward consuming canned beverages at home. Among beverage companies Ardagh supplies with cans are Mark Anthony Brands, maker of White Claw and Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and La Croix, according to a report in the New York Times.
New Product Watch
Lawson’s Finest Liquids released its 2021 product calendar, which includes new offerings Super Session #5 and Super Session #3, both session IPAs featuring Cashmere hops and Comet hops, respectively.
Dogfish Head Distilling Company, the spirits arm of Boston Beer Company-owned Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, rolled out a line of ready-to-drink canned cocktails this week. Offerings include Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda, Strawberry & Honeyberry Vodka Lemonade and Cherry Bergamot Whiskey Sour. Dogfish Head’s canned cocktail line will be sold trough the Boston Beer/Dogfish Head wholesaler network in all but 13 states, most of which are so-called control states.
Speaking of Boston Beer, the company has launched a new flavor of Truly Hard Seltzer: Citrus Squeeze, which will replace Truly Orange.
Anheuser-Busch has launched a Bud Light 1990s throwback pack in Florida today. The pack will be available through April 6 in 12-pack 16 oz. aluminum bottles and 24-pack 12 oz. cans.
The website for New Belgium’s forthcoming hard seltzer brand, Fruit Smash, is now live. The brand skews more Voodoo Ranger than Fat Tire in presentation. Fruit Smash (4.7% ABV and 100 calories) will be available this spring in variety 12-packs of three flavors: Berry Blast, Tropical Punch, and Pink Lemonade.