Beyond Beer

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.

As the largest hard seltzer brands cycle tough year-over-year comps, regional seltzer brands such as Boulevard Brewing Company’s Quirk Hard Seltzer are gaining traction in their home markets.

Minneapolis-based Finnegans Brew Co. has struck a deal to acquire non-alcoholic craft brewer Hairless Dog Brewing Company.

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.”

Flying Embers, a Ojai, California-based hard kombucha and hard seltzer-maker, continues to explore “fourth category” beverage alcohol.

Two and a half years after selling Detroit-based Atwater Brewing to Molson Coors and seven months following his exit from the brewery, Mark Rieth is diving back into the beverage industry with FÜL Beverage, a family of non-alcoholic beers and functional drinks.

When Los Angeles-based Jiant launched its hard kombucha in the summer of 2019, the company had three full time employees, including its co-founders, Larry Haertel Jr. and Aaron Telch.

When the leadership of the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians expanded its casino, a brewery and distillery seemed like a natural addition. But until a few years ago, distilling alcohol on reservations was illegal. Now, the Paskenta Brewery & Distillery is the first tribal-owned California distillery. One of just a handful of tribal-owned distilleries in the U.S., it’s also aiming to be a model for others.

Total beer off-premise spending reached $1.104 billion for the week ending July 3, marking the category’s highest sales week of the year so far. Only the weeks that included July 4 in 2020 and 2021 saw stronger beer sales than this year’s holiday week.

In the words of the Whispers and Sonny & Cher: “the beat goes on.” At least for BeatBox Beverages.

Black-owned South African spirits group Spearhead announced yesterday it has raised $3 million to expand the reach of its two products, Vusa Vodka and Bayab Gin, to the U.S., as well as launch new product lines and accelerate its marketing efforts. The raise was led by Pendulum, an investment and advisory platform aimed at supporting business leaders of color.

Last month The Coca-Cola Company and Brown-Forman announced the launch of a new Jack & Coke ready-to-drink (RTD) product— but eager U.S. drinkers will have to wait. The new beverage will first launch in Mexico, sparking the question: as RTD growth spreads globally, where are major suppliers headed next, and what will they be looking for?

Indeed Brewing Company will release two new offerings next month, diving head first into a new category outside of beverage alcohol: cannabis.

Following the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s (NJABC) move to enforce special conditions that restrict craft breweries’ ability to host events and offer food, state Sen. Michael Testa has announced he will introduce a bill to counter the restrictions.