Dear Client: “The start of April (and data trailing through March) brings with it the ability to take a VERY EARLY and STILL IN PROGRESS look at Shelf Resets,” say Bump Williams and Co. in the monthly BWC newsletter.   Before we get to the apparent brand winners and laggards at this point, one big takeaway: … Continue reading “BWC Takes Stock of Winners and Laggards at Shelf”

How one flawed study enabled a shift to scorched-earth tobacco-like strategies, and dramatically changed the public health narrative on alcohol. Dear Client: The social and mainstream media arbiters of culture are absolutely vibrating with the revelation that Gen Z doesn’t drink as much beverage alcohol as previous generations. The actual data is fuzzy depending on … Continue reading “New Generation of Anti-Alcohol Crusaders Push “No Safe Level””

Dear Client: In a fascinating overview of recent beer industry performance—jointly hosted by the NBWA and Fintech and moderated by Lester Jones, VP of Analytics and Chief Economist at NBWA, and Eric Kiser, VP—distributor strategy at Fintech, (which processes payments by retailers to wholesalers)—the dynamic duo showed an interesting slide that visually illustrates just what … Continue reading “A-B’s Slow Steady Path to Recovery”

Dear Client: While “intoxicating hemp products” continue to make their way onto wholesalers trucks and into regular retailers, from Spec’s to Total Wine (see next story), some parties are trying to reel it in. ATTORNEYS GENERAL TO CONGRESS: REIN IN INTOXICATING HEMP PRODUCTS  Last week, 21 attorneys general wrote to agriculture committee lawmakers, expressing concern … Continue reading “More Ado About Intoxicating Hemp”

Dear Client: Big news out of Mark Anthony Brands today: After an internal all-company meeting for Mike’s, MAB president Phil Rosse sent notice to partners that they are rolling out a big, new hydration play with soccer superstar Lionel Messi. What’s more: The beverage heralds a new division for the company, led by a former … Continue reading “Mark Anthony Brands Announces “Liquid Refreshment Beverage Division,” Starting with Messi Hydration Drink”

Dear Client: It may have been a sleepy St. Patty’s Day for draft beer in the on-premise [see BBD 03-20-2024], but the category looks to have been rocking in the off-premise leading up to the holiday.  Latest Circana data for the week ending March 17 reveals that beer raked in around $844.5 million in sales … Continue reading “Beer Delivers Best Week of Scans Thus Far in ’24”

Dear Client: In a down on-premise, a surprising and not-so-surprising pair of beer segments have emerged as the outperformers in the channel, according to a new report from NIQ’s CGA. Indeed, the report states that sales of below premium beer and imports are “holding up well” in the on-premise (where total beer sales are down … Continue reading “CGA Highlights Below-Premium and Imports as Standout Segments in On-Premise”

Craig on the dumpster fire that is Washington: “At the bottom of the pile of shit, sometimes there might be a pony.” Dear Client: In a wide-ranging discussion with BBD on Friday, NBWA President & CEO Craig Purser gave us a primer of the upcoming NBWA Legislative Conference in Washington DC, where beer wholesalers will … Continue reading “Craig Purser: Taxes, Equalization, Distributor Independence to be Focus at Legislative Conference”

Dear Client: Everyone knows that FMBs have been one of the few beer segments seeing growth over the last year. But what goes up tends to go down eventually.  In the latest 52 weeks, FMB dollars grew 16.5% nationally (NIQ’s xAOC+Conv+Liq), but that growth is “only” 11.6% in the latest 13 weeks and 10.4% … … Continue reading “Signs of FMB Maturation in the Segment’s Strongest Region”

Dear Client: Molson Coors is bringing back its “Great Taste, Less filling” ad this week (actually today, during March Madness), ahead of the all-important summer selling season.  It’s not only the ad that basically put Miller Lite, then a completely new proposition, on the map when the campaign debuted in 1975. It’s also among the … Continue reading “Miller Lite Reboots Iconic “Great Taste, Less Filling” Campaign”

Dear Client: We’ve known it was coming, and now it’s here. Truly Tequila Soda, the seltzer franchise’s second spirits-based offering, has begun shipping nationwide. The brand, made with “real fruit juice,” sparkling water and “premium Tequila Blanco,” hits in four flavors – Lime, Grapefruit, Watermelon, and Pineapple Guava – with each checking in at 5% … Continue reading “Why Truly Tequila Soda Was an “Easy Decision” to Take National”

Dear Client: Yesterday, New Belgium announced Rebecca Dye Yonushonis as its new CMO. Rebecca replaces the vacancy that Shaun Belongie left when he assumed the title of CEO last fall.  Rebecca’s senior marketing resume includes a “Who’s Who” of top CPG brands, including Land O’ Lakes Inc., Dollar Shave Club, Starbucks, Molson Coors, and the … Continue reading “New Belgium Brass on Fresh Blood and Fast Starts for New Voodoo Plays”

Dear Client: A group of independent PepsiCo bottlers (several of whom also distribute beer) are suing Pepsi in New York Supreme Court. Less than a year after these bottlers signed agreements to deliver Gatorade DSD-style to major chains — including Walmart and Kroger — PepsiCo is allegedly undermining their business through a new buy-by-the-pallet-and-save direct … Continue reading “Bottlers Accuse Pepsi of Bait-and-Switch “

Dear Client: The latest batch of Circana scans are in and we’ve got a handful of things to highlight for you. Starting from the top, beer isn’t setting the world on fire in Circana scans, but it’s off to a much better start there than NIQ is tracking so far this year [see BBD 03-07-2024]. … Continue reading “A Few Surprises From Latest Circana Scans”

Dear Client: Altria Group announced yesterday that it intends to sell a portion of its investment in Anheuser-Busch InBev. The tobacco company – which currently holds around 197 million shares of ABI, representing approximately 10% ownership – said it plans to sell 35 million shares (about 18% of its own stake, worth more than $2 … Continue reading “Altria Plans to Sell a Chunk of its ABI Stock”