Data

Craft beer’s dollar sales growth continues to outpace the overall beer category at off-premise retailers tracked by market research firm IRI. Year-to-date through February 21, dollar sales of craft beer have increased 17.2% compared to the same period last year, while total beer dollar sales are up 13.5%, the firm reported.

3 Tier Beverages founders Donn Bichsel Jr. and Joe Sepka and Brager Beverage Alcohol Consulting owner Danny Brager discuss the forthcoming “March Mountain” that the industry will begin cycling as the anniversary of the COVID-19 stock-up phase approaches. They also share advice on portfolio management, how to remain in the good graces of retailers and wholesalers that are cutting back on their product selections, product pricing and much more.

Beer category dollar sales at off-premise retailers increased 11.3% during the four-week period ending February 20, according to market research firm NielsenIQ. At present, scan data is cycling the period in 2020 before COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns began and the on-premise channel was operating at full capacity. Consumer spending shifted almost exclusively to the off-premise channel in mid-March.

No- and low-alcohol offerings as a “potential market disruptor” for the beer category, growing retail sales to $3 billion by 2025, according to a new research report from Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog.

Consumers spent $97 million on craft beer through e-commerce in 2020, which accounted for 24% of all beer category dollar sales online. In brick-and-mortar stores, however, craft beer makes up 12.6% of all dollar sales. In fact, craft has the second largest dollar share behind flavored malt beverages (32%), which include hard seltzers.

Craft beer dollar sales are up 18.8% year-to-date through January 24 at multi-outlet retailers and convenience stores tracked by market research firm IRI.

Hard seltzer dollar sales at convenience stores are increasing at nearly double the rates of the rest of the off-premise retailers tracked by market research firm NielsenIQ. Over the last four weeks(ending February 6), off-premise dollar sales of hard seltzers increased 105% at convenience stores compared to the same period last year, while sales increased 55.9% in food (+55.9%) and 59.9% in drug stores.

Did the pandemic really cause a bump in sales of so-called tried and true flagship brands in 2020? Not really, writes Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson in his latest members’ only column.

Off-premise beer category dollar sales increased 15.7% year-to-date through January 23, compared to the same period last year, market research firm NielsenIQ reported. For the four weeks ending January 23 (which includes December 28-31, 2020), off-premise dollars sales of the beer category — which includes core beer, flavored malt beverages, hard seltzers, ciders and malt liquor — increased 14.2%, indicating slight acceleration after January 1.

The number of legal drinking age adults who have visited on-premise establishments has remained stagnant at around 50% for several months, according to a report from Nielsen CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NielsenIQ. In the two weeks leading up to the January 8-10 survey period, 50% of respondents said they had gone out for a meal, which was the same number as those who had been out to a restaurant in the two weeks prior.

Drinking occasions remain less popular — 17% of respondents had gone out for a drink in the two weeks before the January 8-10 survey, an increase of 1% from the previous survey. Only 41% of respondents said they planned to visit a restaurant in the two weeks following the survey, but 18% said they would go out for a drink.

Americans’ consumption of alcohol has remained steady for nearly 15 years, but a new report from the research division of food and agribusiness financial firm Rabobank shows that Americans who imbibe are skewing more female, more diverse and older.

Total beer dollar sales in off-premise retailers reached nearly $43.8 billion in 2020, according to market research firm IRI. The firm, which tracks category-wide sales at major off-premise retailers, reported a 14.7% increase in dollar sales and a 10% increase in volume sales at multi-outlet and convenience (MULC) stores (grocery, drug, club, dollar, mass-merchandiser and military) through December 27, 2020.

Distributors expect the hard seltzer segment to end the year with 155% growth and come close to doubling in 2021 with much of the growth coming from leading brands, White Claw (Mark Anthony Brands) and Truly Hard Seltzer (Boston Beer Company), according to a report from Goldman Sachs Equity Research arm.

Consumers are continuing to trade up in their alcoholic beverage purchases, even as the COVID-19 pandemic-induced economic downturn continues, Brewers Association (BA) chief economist Bart Watson said during a webinar last week. “People still see beer as an affordable luxury, while beer has taken on a lot of price relative to wine and spirits,” he said.