ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The January 2018 Beer Purchasers’ Index for total beer at 52 starts the 2018 calendar year on a positive note following a slow 2017 fourth quarter. The total beer index for January 2018 at 52 is significantly above the January 2017 reading at 42.2. The index for imports has remained above the 60 mark for the past four months after dipping below 60 in September 2016. The craft index dipped to 57 and now has three out of the past six months below 60.
The survey asks purchasers at beer distributorships if they ordered more beer and about the same or less beer from their suppliers in the current month. The results are reported as a composite diffusion index where a reading greater than 50 indicates the segment is expanding, and a reading below 50 indicates the segment is contracting.
National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) Chief Economist Lester Jones said, “The total beer index for January 2018 at 52 is significantly above the January 2017 reading at 42.2, which is not surprising giving the low inventory levels reported at the end of 2017. Premium Lights and Regular Premium both posted lower readings for January relative to readings over the past few months.”
The flavored malt beverage (FMB) segment indexed below the 50 index. The cider segment continues to contract, posting an index reading of 28 for January; however, this segment has shown a steady increase in index readings over the past six months. The “at risk” inventory measure posted another reading below the 50 index for January, continuing a four month trend, indicating that distributors are continuing to report lower amounts of inventory are at risk of going out of code within the next 30 days.
For more information, visit www.nbwa.org/bpi.
About the NBWA
The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) represents the interests of America’s 3,300 licensed, independent beer distributor operations in every state, congressional district and media market across the country. Beer distributors are committed to ensuring alcohol is provided safely and responsibly to consumers of legal drinking age through the three-tier, state-based system of alcohol regulation and distribution. To learn more about America’s beer distributors, visit www.AmericasBeerDistributors.com. For additional updates from NBWA, follow @NBWABeer on Twitter, like NBWA on Facebook, follow NBWA on Instagram and subscribe to NBWA’s YouTube channel.