NIQ: THC Beverages Hit $239M in Mainstream Retail as Half of Adults Interested in Trying
THC beverages reached $239 million in the 52 weeks ending April 4 2026, up 135% versus the prior year, and despite a looming ban, there’s thirst for more.
Beyond Beer
Read the latest beyond beer news relating to companies involved with RTD cocktails, hard cider, hard seltzer, hard kombucha, spirits, cannabis, and non-alcoholic products. Take a comprehensive look at developments in these evolving sectors, offering valuable insights into the innovations, trends, and market forces shaping the world of beer and beyond.
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Jim Koch: Boston Beer ‘Over the Hump’ and Important to Distributors & Retailers; Sun Cruiser Gains; No Twisted Tea Reset
Boston Beer Company has “gotten over the hump as a supplier” and become an “important” part of its wholesalers’ and retailers’ businesses, founder, chairman and CEO Jim Koch told analysts during the company’s Q1 2026 earnings report Thursday evening.
Stateside’s Super Lyte Depletes 120K Cases in 5 Weeks, Targets 1.5M This Year
Super Lyte, a vodka-infused, sports-drink inspired refresher, from the makers of Surfside, has depleted 120,000 cases in its first five weeks in the market, with a forecast to hit 1.5 million cases this year.
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BeatBox Parent Company to Lay Off 158 Employees
Future Proof Brands, the Austin-based parent company of BeatBox Beverages, plans to lay off 158 employees following Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) majority share acquisition of the party punch maker.
Chicago’s United Center to Begin THC Drink Sales in February
Hemp THC drink makers RYTHM and Señorita have each inked multi-year agreements with the United Center in Chicago.
The Modern Hotel Beverage Program: Lobby Bars, NA Cocktails and Less Draft
Adult non-alc (ANA) cocktails are gaining momentum in luxury hotels, with one major chain reporting a 32% sales increase over the past three years. But functional ingredients and education still create challenges.
Wholesalers, Retailers Join Hemp Reform Effort; New Bill Seeks CBD Limits
An influential group of beverage-alcohol retailers and distributors are supporting legislative efforts to keep hemp-infused beverages alive despite their prohibition, slated to take effect in November 2026.
Beverages Carved Out of Chicago Hemp-Derived THC Ban
Intoxicating hemp drinks are getting a lifeline in Chicago, despite the outlawing of other hemp-derived THC products.
Press Clips: A-B CEO Scoffs at Hemp, BERO Gets New PE Money and Numerator Names the 2025 Fastest Growing Brands
Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth’s take on intoxicating hemp; non-alc Bero receives private equity investment; Otherlands Beer shares tariff impact; taproom closures; people moves; and more.
Numerator: Less Than Half of Dry January Abstainers Plan to Resume Drinking Alcohol
For some Dry January participants, the month of abstaining from alcohol is an annual tradition, but for others it spurs a lifestyle change, consumer research firm Numerator found in a recent survey of 500 U.S. consumers who planned to partake in the ritual.
Stateside Looks Beyond Surfside with 10% ABV Vodka Sodas and Super Lyte Vodka + Ade
On any given week, Stateside’s vodka-based, ready-to-drink (RTD) hard tea brand Surfside records $2 million in sales or more and triple-digit year-over-year (YoY) growth in Circana-tracked off-premise channels. Those sales represent only 20% of the RTD’s total depletions.
The ‘Total Destruction’ of Beer’s Pricing Model; Plus, Updates from Boston Beer, Good Boy Vodka & Constellation at the Beer, Wine & Spirits Summit
It may be time for beer to finally address its pricing issues. That was one of the main takeaways from Day 1 of the Beer, Wine and Spirits Summit Sunday, hosted by Beer Business Daily and Wine & Spirits Business Daily in Coronado, California.
Amidst RTD Competition, Patco Brands Leans on Big Sipz and Private Label
Patco Brands launched over a decade ago with a small margarita business and a family-run operation. Since then, the company has quietly evolved into one of the largest producers in the agave wine and ready-to-drink (RTD) space, operating at a scale that rivals far larger beverage groups while maintaining the agility of an independent.
Spiked Ade Locks in $10M, Wide Distribution as Vodka Sports Drinks Emerge
After carving out early momentum in New Jersey, food and beverage serial entrepreneur Jason Cohen is taking his vodka-based ready-to-drink beverage, Spiked Ade, to more markets.
Press Clips: Russian River Partners with Russian Riverkeeper; The Bruery’s Scott Fielder Named Master Cicerone
Russian River Brewing Company [RRBC] (Windsor & Santa Rosa, California) has begun donating proceeds from Russian River 110 West Coast Pils to Russian Riverkeeper, a local non-profit climate organization focused on its eponymous river.
Stoli Group USA and Kentucky Owl Convert to Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Stoli Group USA, the owner of Stoli vodka, will move into the liquidation phase after initially filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2024.
Legislation Proposed to Push Back Hemp Ban
An Indiana congressman has proposed legislation to push back the upcoming hemp ban for three years, allowing more time to carve out a regulatory framework for hemp products.