Corona Slips, But Still Wears Crown

Barton's shipments and depletions (representing Modelo in the West, Tsingtao, and St. Pauli Girl) were down mid-single digits in the first quarter (their fiscal fourth quarter) due to the "challenge of overcoming the buy-in by distributors and sell-through from promotional activities at retail preceding the price increase last year for the Mexican imported beer portfolio," said Barton parent Constellation. Remember that the California grocery chain strike ended last year, which brought on those chains using Corona as a loss leader.