Dear Client: Southwest Washington’s Corwin Beverage Company, which started out as Pepsi Cola of Vancouver in 1941, “has decided to exit the highly competitive beverage distribution business,” per statement Corwin shared with BBD, and as CBD reported (via Washington Beer Blog) yesterday.   “Longtime partner” PepsiCo will acquire the non-alcohol division of Corwin.  But here’s where … Continue reading “Corwin Selling Non-Alc Portfolio to PepsiCo; Who Will Buy its Craft Wholesalers?”

Dear Client: It all came down to a simple question: “Did Modelo prove, by a preponderance of evidence, that Corona Hard Seltzer and Modelo Ranch Water are not ‘Beer’ as defined in the contract?”  In case you missed it, as we reported yesterday, a jury of four men and four women found in favor of … Continue reading “Grokking the ABI/STZ Verdict: What Comes Next?”

Dear Client: The verdict is in: Constellation’s sugar-based Corona Hard Seltzer and Modelo Ranch Water were found to be in compliance with the company’s sublicense agreement to brew and distribute Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned Cervecería Modelo de México brands in the U.S. The two-week trial ended with surprisingly short jury deliberations this afternoon (sources told BBD jurors … Continue reading “Jury Verdict: Constellation Did Not Violate Grupo Modelo Sublicense with ABI”

Dear Client: There are signs that Boston Beer could be “in the early innings of turning around Truly,” RBC analyst Nik Modi shared in a note yesterday morning. Nik and co. acknowledged in the note that, yes, overall Truly trends continue to be challenged in IRI scans, as “Truly volumes remain down 25-35% on a … Continue reading “Signs of a Truly Turnaround Taking Shape?”

Dear Client: Given the overwhelming success of New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger line, one can’t help but wonder how far they might extend that franchise. Since launching in 2017, the Voodoo Ranger family has been made up nearly exclusively of higher-ABV IPAs, though we have seen the line break away from its IPA focus before… remember … Continue reading “New Belgium Workshopping a Hard Tea Line for Voodoo Ranger?”

Dear Client: On Friday morning, BBD caught up with Rodney Williams, the former Moët Hennessy exec who was announced as Nuno Teles’ successor as President of Diageo Beer Company and Diageo Canada last August.    We asked Rodney about his first-line priorities the first few months on the job. He crystallized his focus on one imperative: … Continue reading “New DBC Chief on “Huge Opportunities” for Guinness and Zero”

Dear Client: Part one of our talk with top three bev alc wholesaler, Breakthru Beverage Group, focused on their California opportunity, their hope for the on-premise in ’23, and some whet-your-whistle details on their fast-growing B2B platform, Breakthru Now [see BBD 03-07-2023]. Today we’ll pick up with that ordering platform, as they are a hot … Continue reading “Breakthru on New Market White Space, Breakthru Now and More”

Dear Client:  BBD readers may recall Sierra Nevada’s big announcement last August that, with their imminent Chico innovation center, they are open to partnerships of all kinds, with all kinds of producers —  from spirits to non-alc beverage companies, to energy players and more [see CBD 08-24-2022].  Today they’re making good on that promise. Sierra … Continue reading “Sierra Takes Minority Stake in RIOT Energy”

Dear Client:  “We are going to have the industry’s biggest brand right here in this room,” Jim Sabia declared over a live band playing Morricone’s L’estasi dell’Oro. “Our goal is to have Modelo Especial become the number one beer by dollars in the U.S.”  After a pause, he added, “This is real, this is attainable, … Continue reading “The Crowning of Modelo”

Dear Client:  Not even an entire month went by in 2023 before Breakthru Beverage Group, the nation’s third largest beverage alc wholesaler, announced the acquisition of top California bev alc distributor Wine Warehouse. That was on top of other purchases last year, from Missouri’s Major Brands to Minnesota’s JJ Taylor. Clearly, Breakthru is on the … Continue reading “Breakthru on Cali, 2023, and More”

Is this a change in attitudes regarding latitudes? Dear Client:  Toward the end of last year, northeast Florida A-B wholesaler Burkhardt Sales & Service had a deal to sell to the acquisitive Mitchell Cos. out of Mississippi after fielding bids from three adjacent A-B distributors, Daytona Beverage, North Florida Sales, and Tri-Eagle Sales. Since A-B … Continue reading “A-B Match and Snatch Strikes Again”

Dear Client:  Anheuser-Busch InBev’s earnings call doesn’t usually give a ton of air time to the U.S. business, despite the region’s importance to the brewer. But the airtime it did get on yesterday’s Q4 call went almost entirely to beyond beer and upscale brands like Cutwater and NÜTRL, and to a lesser extent, Mich Ultra.  … Continue reading “ABI Call Focuses on Cutwater and NÜTRL U.S. Prospects”

Dear Client:  Q4 marked another quarter of topline growth for Anheuser-Busch in the U.S., and a challenging frame for volume. Q4 REVENUE UP 2.5%. The supplier saw U.S. revenue grow 2.5% in the quarter with revenue per hl up 12.2%, “driven primarily by price increases and other revenue management initiatives,” per today’s release. DEPLETIONS DOWN … Continue reading “A-B Q4: Another Good Quarter for Topline, but Price Increases Contributed to 7.6% Depletions Decline”

Dear Client:  Yesterday morning the bev industry woke up to news that Molson Coors has formed a “new, centralized commercial function” inside its Americas business unit, to be led by current CMO Michelle St. Jacques as its newly minted chief commercial officer, effective March 1.  Later that day, BBD was able to get Molson Coors … Continue reading “Gavin and MSJ Removing “Silos” to Drive Growth”

Dear Client:  Molson Coors has formed a “new, centralized commercial function” inside its Americas business unit, to be led by current CMO Michelle St. Jacques as its newly minted chief commercial officer, effective March 1.  In her new role, MSJ will “oversee all commercial activity and capabilities across the Americas, including the U.S., Canada and … Continue reading “Michelle St. Jacques Will Lead Molson Coors’ New Centralized Commercial Function in The Americas as CCO”