Data

Grocery market competition, price reduction strategies for consumers, a sustainable plan for necessary divestments and the potential impact on the companies’ combined workforce were key points of contention as the CEOs of Kroger and Albertsons Companies each appeared before the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Committee last week to face tough questions about their companies’ proposed $24.6 billion merger.

Consumer trends of premiumization, convenience, flavor, and health and wellness continue to drive shopping behavior in both the on- and off-premise channels, experts from NielsenIQ reported during a webinar this week.

Bump Williams Consulting shared the results of its year-end “3-Tier Growth Strategies” survey last week, providing a window into the thinking of brewers, wholesalers and retailers. The survey is centered around one question: “What are your top 1-3 growth initiatives over the next two years?”

The CEOs of Kroger and Albertsons Companies, Rodney McMullen and Vivek Sankaran, respectively, faced intense criticism from the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee during a hearing Tuesday regarding their plans to execute commitments outlined in the proposed merger agreement.

The “pessimistic outlook” for beer has continued through Q4 2022, after the category recorded its sixth straight month of contraction, according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) November Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI).

Draft sales on the night before Thanksgiving declined -17.1% compared to the same day in 2021, on-premise data firm BeerBoard reported. Drizly reported that ready-to-drink canned cocktails increased sales nearly +40% on the e-commerce alcohol delivery platform this Thanksgiving weekend compared to the holiday in 2021.

Southeastern Grocers Inc., the Florida-based operator of the Winn-Dixie and Harvey’s supermarket chains, could be up for sale soon.

San Francisco-based Cellarmaker Brewing Company has acquired The Rare Barrel and its facility in Berkeley, California. Two days before the 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to kick off in Qatar, the country has said it will not allow beer sales at the event, walking back previous expectations, The New York Times reported.

The outlook for beer may be more positive than headlines make it seem. That was the message from beer economy experts Monday during Beer Marketer’s Insights’ 2022 Beer Insights Seminar in New York City.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for beer away from home increased +7% in October 2022 compared to October 2021, the largest price increase ever recorded for the category, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Alcohol e-commerce platform Drizly announced a “new brand direction” this week, featuring a “redesigned product experience” and expanded shipping capabilities, as it celebrates a decade in business.

Attorneys general from Washington state and the District of Columbia are seeking to temporarily block a $4 billion payout to Albertsons’ shareholders on November 7, filing lawsuits this week to put a hold on the cash dividend at least until the grocery giant’s proposed merger with Kroger can be reviewed by federal regulators.

Data from beer-centric social media platform Untappd, which tracks where and when users drink beer, shows that traffic at brewery taprooms has recovered to 117% of January 2019 levels.

Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley declared the U.S. consumer “remains resilient,” as trade up to premium offerings continues and there aren’t signs of “significant channel shifting,” during the beverage-alcohol producer’s Q2 earnings report today.