3 Up, 3 Down with 3 Tier Beverages is a quarterly insights series available to Brewbound Insiders, via the Chicago-headquartered, bev-alc-focused consulting and data firm.
During the Q&A portion of the call, Monster CEO Rodney Sacks was noncommittal when asked about the company’s potential interest in launching an alcoholic beverage product, specifically a hard seltzer.
Kalamazoo, Michigan-headquartered Bell’s Brewery will enter its 42nd state later this year, with the addition of distribution to Oklahoma. Bell’s, the seventh largest Brewers-Association-defined craft brewery, will be partnering with Republic National Distribution Company of Oklahoma.
The Boston Beer Company has hired marketing executive Don Lane as its new vice president of the Truly Hard Seltzer brand. Boston Beer is investing $85 million to quadruple production at its nearly 90-year-old Cincinnati production brewery, according to a press release.
Even amid persistent out-of-stock issues, Boston Beer Company’s Truly Hard Seltzer helped drive the company’s depletions (sales to retailers) growth to 46% in Q2. Boston Beer founder Jim Koch conceded Thursday that those inventory issues will last for the rest of the summer.
On this week’s Brewbound Frontlines, Danelle Kosmal, VP of Beverage Alcohol Practice at Nielsen, analyzes hard seltzer sales trends during the coronavirus pandemic, and leaders from Press Premium Alcohol Seltzer, Nauti Hard Seltzer and Bubs Hard Seltzer discuss how their regional and national brands are competing in the fast-growing segment.
The billion dollar weeks keep coming for the beer category in off-premise retailers. Beer category sales (beer, FMBs and cider) in off-premise channels increased 14.9%, to $1.007 billion, for the week ending July 11 compared to the same week one year ago, according to market research firm Nilesen. That makes eight consecutive weeks of beer category dollar sales in excess of $1 billion.
Mark Anthony Brands’ long-time senior vice president marketing Sanjiv Gajiwala will depart the maker of White Claw and the Mike’s Hard Lemonade franchise at the end of the month, according to a memo president Phil Rosse sent to wholesalers.
Energy drink maker Monster Beverage could be entering the more than $2 billion hard seltzer segment, according to an analyst’s report. Stifel Financial analyst Mark S. Astrachan speculated that the energy drink maker is considering entering the alcoholic beverage market, “most likely” with a hard seltzer.
Ficks Beverage Co., makers of the first hard seltzer flavored with real fruit juice, expanded distribution to the Seattle region and Texas, after securing a distribution deal with Northwest Beverages and beginning to sell into Texas supermarket chain H-E-B’s 340 stores.
Nearly 60% of Drizly users ages 21-26 plan to drink hard seltzer this summer, the on-demand e-commerce marketplace and delivery platform for alcohol beverages, found during its second annual consumer survey.
Constellation Brands, which begins its financial year in March, had a rollercoaster of a first quarter for FY 2021, with net sales declining 6%, to $1.9 billion, but beer depletions (sales to retailers) increasing 5.6%.
Perrin Brewing Company introduces a new seasonal variety pack of Clear Coast Fresh Hard Seltzer featuring three fresh and invigorating flavors. The limited release 12-pack of 12 oz. cans is now available at the Perrin Pub and on shelves across Michigan.
DESTIHL Brewery, an independent craft brewery, has announced the coming launch of its premium Craft Hard Seltzer line this summer. In DESTIHL’s endless quest to ‘Support Flavor & Boycott Bland’, the brewery’s Craft Hard Seltzers feature flavors ‘made by nature, not in a lab’.
Duvel Moortgat USA VP of sales Bobby Dykstra and VP of marketing Natalie Gershon discuss plans for the Boulevard and Brewery Ommegang brands, trends during the COVID-19 pandemic and their strategy for the next six months.