Editor’s Note: New Belgium paid transit and lodging costs for Brewbound to attend its distributor meeting in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Beer is in the midst of “a fun crisis,” New Belgium Brewing CMO Rebecca Dye Yonushonis declared during the company’s distributor convention in Fort Collins last week.
Craft admittedly “got a little serious,” and the plethora of choices on shelves proved to be “a little bit confusing,” leading to “choice overload” and dissatisfaction for drinkers, Dye Yonushonis explained.
“If you can’t find what you want, you’re twice as likely to regret your choice,” she said. “That is not good for our category long term. And even if you do find what you want, you’ve got a double-digit drop (13%) in satisfaction if you are overwhelmed trying to find it.”
Those factors, along with an onslaught of macroeconomic headwinds, have contributed to craft’s downward trends (-5% dollars, -6.8% volume in NIQ-tracked channels year-to-date through September 20) and continued struggles to resonate with consumers who are gravitating to higher ABV and non-alcoholic (NA) offerings, THC-infused beverages and ready-to-drink (RTD) products.
So New Belgium’s leaders decided to seek out the reasons why consumers’ behaviors in when, how and what they drink are shifting so rapidly. They found that the No. 1 occasion not meeting drinkers’ needs was “fun.”
“When I looked at this data, I was like, ‘Holy shit, this is a category built on fun, and we’re not meeting the consumer there,’” she said. “Well, that makes sense, right? If you really think about it, the world’s not so fun today.”
They also discovered that consumers are approaching the category differently than previous generations and alcohol’s role has also changed, Dye Yonushonis continued. Alcohol is no longer a vehicle for “tuning out” and escaping, it’s about “tuning in” for special and curated occasions and making “intentional” choices, which she said “changes everything.”
As a result, New Belgium’s mantra moving forward is “growth is going to come from the edges,” Dye Yonushonis said. That means competing outside of beer’s traditional occasions of “comfort and connection,” she added.
“We’re going to be there with the consumer on their terms, by understanding what it is they’re looking for,” she said.
In 2026, New Belgium will offer “clear choices with clear brand promises,” Dye Yonushonis continued, “because obvious choice creates value for the consumer.” The strategy is about giving consumers what they want, as well as confidence in their purchases without regrets.
(Look for more on New Belgium’s innovation slate on Brewbound in November.)
The good news for New Belgium is that it has a portfolio of brands that is already resonating with consumers:
- Voodoo Ranger is the No. 1 craft franchise;
- Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA is the No. 1 IPA and No. 2 craft brand;
- Voodoo Ranger Juice Force and Tropic Force are craft’s two biggest growth drivers;
- Bell’s Two Hearted IPA is the No. 1 IPA in the Great Lakes region and No. 3 craft brand;
- Bell’s summer seasonal Oberon Light is the No. 3 overall craft launch nationally, and the Great Lakes’ No. 1 craft launch and growth brand;
- And Kirin Ichiban has gained more than 900 tap handles in bars and restaurants.
Voodoo Ranger is also winning the fun occasion, Dye Yonushonis said. Voodoo Ranger has found success by going outside the traditional craft beer playbook.
“That’s why brands connect with consumers, because we’re meeting them on their terms, not by a rule that somebody wrote for us,” she said.
For 2026, New Belgium will capitalize on Voodoo Ranger by extending it “smartly,” with new products and partnerships, Dye Yonushonis shared.
Two Hearted will play the role of an “icon” and the “measuring stick for every other IPA,” she added. The work ahead will be to make that resonate with modern consumers.
Kirin will lean into its authenticity, with refreshed packaging.
And LightStrike, the hard refresher brand launched last year, admittedly didn’t go as planned, but the company is leaning into consumer demand for it as a single-serve in convenience.
“Growth coming from the edges is smart growth, but it’s also about understanding where that consumer is evolving different needs, driving different occasions, so we can be there for them, breaking out of comfort and connection, to be there for more people in more times, and as always, we’re going to break some rules along the way,” Dye Yonushonis said.
New Belgium CEO: Headwinds Will Flip to Opportunities
In a meme-filled presentation, New Belgium CEO Shaun Belongie pointed to numerous macroeconomic headwinds affecting the beer category, including waning consumer confidence, cut backs to non-essential spending, pressures on Hispanic consumers, decreased occasions and foot traffic, higher prices, sports gambling and ongoing moderation, health and wellness trends. Belongie offered a GIF of a flaming dumpster floating down a flooded street as a visual representation of the category.
Nevertheless, Belongie gave some perspective and a more optimistic take by sharing the story of his son, who was diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer and is now in remission. He shared a photo of his son smiling and giving a thumbs up just three days after having 170 lymph nodes removed from his neck.
“Attitude is everything,” he said, adding that his son graduated from high school and has started his freshman year at The University of Colorado-Boulder, to applause from the room.
“You’re gonna get knocked down. You’re gonna face losses. There are going to be things that don’t work out in your favor, but the idea of getting back up, going at it again, is a really important one for us as a category,” he said.
Not all headwinds will be permanent, Belognie continued. He pointed to declining consumer confidence, which he said will eventually flip when consumers feel better about the economy, creating opportunity for suppliers.
Consumers, including Generation Z, are also still spending on craft and they’re buying premium brands and driving NA beer sales, Belongie said. Those are all tailwinds for craft and there remains a “huge” craft drinker base, he said.
“Our audience is huge, and it’s been very stable over time,” Belongie continued. “The challenge that we have, or the opportunity, maybe the flipside is 57% are drinking craft less frequently. So they’re taking their occasions and they’re going to spirits, they’re going to wine, they’re going to some other forms of beverage, or they’re just reducing their consumption overall.
“I again see that as an opportunity for craft to play into those segments in a more powerful way,” he said. “Again, particularly for younger drinkers who don’t know anything about the craft category, who are really just learning about what craft is.”
Winning brands still matter too, including Voodoo Ranger, Belongie said. He noted New Belgium’s significant growth over the last decade. He added there’s “run room” for its biggest craft brands and they’re just “scratching the surface” with Kirin, which has the potential to be the third leg on the company’s stool with Voodoo Ranger and the Hearted family.
Belongie acknowledged LightStrike’s launch struggles, but reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the brand and its beyond beer offerings.
Still, 90% of New Belgium’s focus will be on its biggest brands going forward, with clear priorities Belongie said. He asked wholesalers to keep betting on the winners.
“The category is challenged. There’s a lot of red numbers, I’m sure, in your book, but there are green shoots, and those are the ones that I know you’re really putting your focus against,” he said. “My ask is, just continue to put us in that bucket.
“We have tremendous opportunities together to drive our collective businesses, and whatever bumps we may find along the route together – oh gosh, that was bad – we’ll keep pedaling forward together,” he concluded.