Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) outperformed the U.S. beer industry in the first quarter of 2026, the company reported Tuesday. In the U.S., A-B’s Q1 depletions (sales to retailers) increased 0.3% year-over-year (YoY), which the company credited to “beer and beyond beer share gains and an improved industry.” Shipments (sales to wholesalers) declined 3.2%.
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits’ ambitions for Anheuser-Busch InBev’s portfolio aren’t limited to New York. The wine and spirits juggernaut has struck another deal for a red network distributor, this time for the assets of Eagle Rock Distributing Co. in Colorado.
A pair of big red network distribution deals were announced in the last 24 hours. Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed to purchase the distribution rights of its brands, as well as “certain craft/NA brands,” from Advance Beverage Company in Bakersfield, California. Meanwhile, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits inked a deal for independent A-B distributor Clare Rose on Long Island.
As Molson Coors sales chief Kevin Doyle prepares to retire after nearly 40 years, the company has promoted two sales executives as part of its succession planning. Chief commercial solutions officer Jeff Long will be promoted to chief customer officer, a role that incoming U.S. president of sales and distributor operations Brian Fiero will vacate upon Doyle’s retirement at the end of the year.
Beer Kulture, Brave Noise, and Women of Bevolution have launched a grant program aimed at helping underserved groups launch businesses in the craft beverage industry.
Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) has combined the U.S. field sales teams from its craft brewery and “high end” divisions to create a new high end field sales team.
For the 52 weeks ending July 16, the combined malt- and spirits-based hard seltzer segment reached $4.263 billion, according to Jefferies equity research managing director Kevin Grundy. In the last four weeks, spirits-based seltzer’s share of the business has reached 9.1%. Malt- and sugar-based hard seltzers account for 90.9% of the segment – and their sales are declining.
CELSIUS’ leadership believes the company’s new distribution partnership with PepsiCo will help increase its distribution footprint by around 40% over the next 12 months as the Florida-based energy drink brand eyes new channels and global growth.
Anheuser-Busch InBev reported +11.3% revenue growth and +3.4% volume growth globally for the second quarter of 2022. “Our business delivered sustained profitable growth,” CEO Michel Doukeris said in a press release. “Our volume increased by 3.4%, our top-line by 11.3% and EBITDA by 7.2%. The relentless execution of our strategy, the strength of our brands and accelerated digital transformation enabled us to meet the moment in an ongoing dynamic operating environment.”
Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) will lay off 142 employees from its AB ONE operations, following the sale of the Oakland, California-based wholly owned distributor, the San Francisco Business Times reported.
E-commerce beverage-alcohol platform Provi defended its antitrust lawsuit against Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits and Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC) this week, arguing the two distribution giants have relayed a “misleading narrative” to the court, Law360 reported.
Molson Coors will invest in national advertising during Super Bowl LVII, making it the first brewer other than A-B to run an official commercial during the broadcast in more than 30 years.
Anheuser-Busch InBev has struck a deal to sell its Oakland, California-based wholly owned distributor to two independent wholesalers, Markstein Sales Company and Matagrano, Inc.
Light lager continues to increase share on Drizly, clawing back share losses to hard seltzer over the past two years, according to the e-commerce alcohol delivery platform in its latest BevAlc Insights report.
Wicked Weed built its name in the craft brewing industry with sour beers, but in recent years under the ownership of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the Asheville, North Carolina-based brewery has found commercial success in craft beer’s most popular style space, IPAs.