Big Beer

As the Bud Light brand continues to lose sales and share amid conservative-led backlash over a one-off social media influencer partnership with a transgender woman, the company is now pledging financial support for its wholesaler partners, according to a 6K filing with the SEC.

A pair of beer distributor surveys found that many in the middle tier believe that the conservative led boycott of Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light brand may be permanent. Financial services firm Jefferies’ survey found that a majority (65%) of distributors surveyed expect the Bud Light downturn to last at least another six months, while 32% believe it could be permanent. A separate distributor survey by Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog found that most respondents are “pessimistic about the potential for a full recovery” of Bud Light’s “brand equity and market share.”

Sir Ivan Menezes, who has guided bev-alc giant Diageo as CEO for nearly a decade, has died “following a brief illness,” the company announced today.

Music mogul and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs is suing business partner Diageo today alleging that the brands he co-owns with the spirits group, Cîroc Vodka and DeLeon Tequila, were given worse treatment because he’s Black.

Boston Beer Company has appointed Philip Hodges chief supply chain officer, according to an 8-K filing, submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commision last week.

Constellation Brands is exiting the craft beer business. Constellation, which has found success with Mexican import brands Modelo, Corona and Pacifico, said it will divest of its craft and specialty division to refocus its efforts on its core brands. As such, Funky Buddha Brewery in Florida and Four Corners Brewing Co. in Texas will return to their respective original founders.

Production at craft breweries falling outside of the Brewers Association’s (BA) craft brewer definition collectively declined -4% on a comparable basis, to more than 8.68 million barrels in 2022, according to data shared by the trade group in the May/June edition of the New Brewer Magazine.

Boston Beer Company’s promised refresh of Truly Hard Seltzer started hitting shelves this spring, with new packaging, real fruit juice and new campaigns designed to communicate a “clearer message” to consumers.

After its request for a conversation with Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) leadership last month went unanswered, the Human Right Campaign (HRC) has suspended the perfect 100 score it gave A-B on its 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which will prohibit the company from using the organization’s designation as one of the “Best Places to Work.”

Alec Mull is returning to Bell’s Brewery as general manager of the Comstock, Michigan craft brewery’s 600,000 barrel facility. Mull will work with Bell’s executive leadership team to oversee the daily operations of the facility and craft new beers to add to the brewery’s portfolio, the company announced today.

A month and a half after conservative outrage directed at Bud Light began, right wing social media has turned its attention to Miller Lite after a months-old commercial for the brand resurfaced.

Constellation Brands has acquired a minority stake in TÖST, an alcohol-free sparkling beverage brand, the company announced yesterday.

Molson Coors will cross the Chicago River next summer when its global headquarters moves to a new location at 320 S. Canal Street.

Boosted by triple-digit growth from its nascent alcohol division, Monster Energy beat analysts’ predictions in reporting an 11.9% year-over-year rise in net sales in its Q1 2023 earnings report on Thursday afternoon.