Readers Respond to Buy-Backs and More

Dear Client: Yesterday we reported that, as part of A-B's driving Shock Top and its seasonals, the company promised distributors an end-of-season buy-back co-op to help remove Pumpkin Wheat cases left in retail trade or warehouses, at 50% of laid-in cost. Only leftover cases in retail/warehouses over the amount sold last year are eligible. That offer left a lot of distribs underwhelmed. Several wrote in: "All of the wholesaler profit is above laid in cost. All of the brewery profit