Phusion Projects, Sazerac and Sapporo Show Momentum Among Top 25 Vendors in Circana Monthly Report; Grocery Drags Category

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The cracks in the facade of beer’s improved performance in 2026 have begun to widen, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana.

Year-to-date (YTD) through May 17, beer category dollar sales increased 0.3% at multi-outlet grocery, mass retail and convenience stores (MULO+C) tracked by Circana. Volume, measured in case sales, declined 1.2%.

The year’s dollar sales gains turned negative (-2%) in the latest four weeks (L4W), while volume losses accelerated to 3.3%.

The grocery channel is dragging the category, with YTD declines in dollar sales (-1.2%) and volume (-2%), which worsened to -4.1% and -4.8%, respectively, in the L4W.

C-store dollar sales remained positive YTD (+1.3%), but volume in the channel declined 0.8%. The convenience channel’s positivity evaporated in the L4W, with dollars down 0.2% and volume down 2.1%.

Within the category’s top 25 vendors, 14 maintained positive dollar sales YTD, but only three accelerated those gains in the L4W:

  • No. 14 Phusion Projects, L4W dollar sales +7.4%, volume +5.3% (YTD dollars +7.2%, volume +4.4%);
  • No. 17 Sazerac, L4W dollar sales +1.7%, volume -0.2% (YTD dollars +1%, volume -2%);
  • And No. 18 Sapporo, L4W dollar sales +1.9%, volume +2% (YTD dollars +1.7%, volume +1.6%).

Two vendors’ dollar sales trends turned negative in the L4W:

  • No. 2 Constellation Brands, L4W dollar sales -0.1%, volume -1.4% (YTD dollars +3.6%, volume +2.6%);
  • And No. 10 D.G. Yuengling & Son, L4W dollar sales -0.6%, volume -0.4% (YTD dollars +1.2%, volume +1.7%).

The remaining nine vendors maintained dollar sales growth, but at a decelerating rate:

  • No. 1 Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B), L4W dollar sales +0.5%, volume -0.6% (YTD dollars +1.3%, volume -0.1%);
  • No. 4 Mark Anthony Brands, L4W dollar sales +0.6%, volume -1.8% (YTD dollars +3.3%, volume +0.8%);
  • No. 7 Diageo, L4W dollar sales +1.8%, volume +0.7% (YTD dollars +6.3%, volume +5.2%);
  • No. 8 Kirin-owned New Belgium, L4W dollar sales +3.8%, volume -0.3% (YTD dollars +4.9%, volume +2%);
  • No. 11 Sierra Nevada, L4W dollar sales +1.9%, volume flat (YTD dollars +3.1%, volume +0.8%);
  • No. 12 Geloso, L4W dollar sales +7.3%, volume +6.7% (YTD dollars +8.4%, volume +8.1%);
  • No. 16 Athletic, L4W dollar sales +18.7%, volume +23.2% (YTD dollars +19.2%, volume +24.9%);
  • No. 24 Monster-owned CANarchy, L4W dollar sales +1.6%, volume -3.3% (YTD dollars +5.5%, volume +0.7%);
  • And No. 25 Happy Dad, L4W dollar sales, +32.4%, volume +31.4% (YTD dollars +37.6%, volume +36.6%).

Declines accelerated for all 11 vendors with negative YTD dollar sales trends:

  • No. 3 Molson Coors, L4W dollar sales -5.4%, volume -6.9% (YTD dollars -3%, volume -4.5%);
  • No. 5 Boston Beer, L4W dollar sales -11%, volume -12.9% (YTD dollars -7.2%, volume -9.2%);
  • No. 6 Heineken USA, L4W dollar sales -7.8%, volume -9.7% (YTD dollars -5.5%, volume -6.8%);
  • No. 9 Pabst, L4W dollar sales -3%, volume -3.6% (YTD dollars -1.5%, volume -1.2%);
  • No. 13 FIFCO USA, L4W dollar sales -15.5%, volume -13.8% (YTD dollars -12.4%, volume -11.4%);
  • No. 15 Tilray Brands, L4W dollar sales -15.8%, volume -18.5% (YTD dollars -12.8%, volume -13%);
  • No. 19 Gambrinus, L4W dollar sales -8.9%, volume -10.8% (YTD dollars -7.3%, volume -8.8%);
  • No. 20 Duvel-owned Firestone Walker, L4W dollar sales -10.8%, volume -12.2% (YTD dollars -7.1%, volume -7.6%);
  • No. 21 Mahou USA, L4W dollar sales -9.5%, volume -10% (YTD dollars -5.2%, volume -6.2%);
  • No. 22 Artisanal Brewing Ventures (ABV), L4W dollar sales -2.8%, volume +0.2% (YTD dollars -2%, volume -2.5%);
  • And No. 23 private labels, L4W dollar sales -9.9%, volume -10.9% (YTD dollars -3.2%, volume -3.5%).

ABV’s average price per case declined $1.36 in the L4W, which could have contributed to the company’s volume flipping to positive during that period.

Three vendors ranked among the top 25 in grocery without making the c-store or MULO+C lists:

  • No. 21 Deschutes, L4W dollar sales +12.9%, volume +13.5% (YTD dollars +8.5%, volume +9.5%);
  • No. 23 2 Towns Ciderhouse, L4W dollar sales +8.7%, volume +7.5% (YTD dollars +10.5%, volume +10.3%);
  • And No. 25 Blake’s Beverage Co., L4W dollar sales -1.6%, volume -1.8% (YTD dollars +1.6%, volume +1.1%).

Phusion Projects, Geloso and Sazerac were all excluded from the top 25 grocery vendors.

Two vendors cracked the top 25 in c-stores, because Athletic and private labels did not:

  • No. 17 Monster Brewing, L4W dollar sales -25.6%, volume -27.1% (YTD dollars -23.3%, volume -23.9%);
  • And No. 23 AriZona Beverages USA, L4W dollar sales -41.4%, volume -39.1% (YTD dollars -31.6%, volume -30.4%).