Dear Client:  There’s been “one consistent piece of feedback” over the last couple of weeks in the wake of their new revitalization plan, Molson Coors chief Gavin Hattersley said at the Beer Insights Seminar Monday: “That sounds great, but prove it.” Then he announced their deal with L.A. Libations.  As we wrote earlier this week, … Continue reading “Gavin Shares More on Partnership with L.A. Libations”

Dear Client: Japanese giant brewer Kirin has been poking around the U.S. craft beer scene for the past few years, but now they’re officially knee deep in U.S. craft with the acquisition of the fourth largest craft brewer doing it here in the states. After taking a 24.5% stake in Brooklyn Brewery in 2016, and … Continue reading “Kirin’s Lion Little World to Acquire New Belgium”

Dear Client:  Mark Anthony Group founder Anthony Von Mandl and Mike’s Hard president Phil Rosse got even more ambitious about their plans to erect their own facilities to produce the runaway White Claw brand. Recall, Mike’s announced plans at their distributor meeting a few months back to “commit over $250 million dollars” to expand the … Continue reading “Mike’s Latest Facility Bet: $385 Mill, in 7 Months”

Dear Client:  Molson Coors has found an emerging brand partner. This morning, the brewer announced a multiyear partnership with L.A. Libations, “a next generation beverage creator and incubator specializing in emerging brands.”  The deal gives Molson Coors “a significant non-controlling equity investment” in the company, “as well as category-exclusive access to the company’s services,” per … Continue reading “Molson Coors Taps L.A. Libations as Emerging Brand Partner”

Dear Client:  You may never have heard of Sup! Seltzer, which bills itself as the first-to-market, completely USDA certified organic hard seltzer.  Neither had we. And then we saw the brand in our H-E-B, next to the big guys, line priced more or less with Truly — despite having the “more premium” status of being … Continue reading “Sup! Organic Hard Seltzer Strikes Partnership with Milwaukee Brewing Co. as it Hits National Chain”

Dear Client:  You may have heard that Budweiser recently renewed their sponsorship with the NBA. But why? After 20-plus seasons as the official beer of the NBA, one has to wonder if there’s really any juice left to squeeze out of that deal.  Well, there apparently is. One big reason for this latest multi-year deal … Continue reading “Bud is the Official Beer of the NBA Again, But this Time it’s Different”

Dear Client:  In July we reported on Shotgun Seltzer, a local draft “craft” seltzer play in one of the biggest beer markets in the country: Texas.  But just a few weeks ago, we saw huge displays of a package offering from Shotgun, at none other than giant regional grocer, H-E-B. This proposition was slightly different: … Continue reading “Is Draft Seltzer Viable? The Shotgun Seltzer Case Study”

Dear Client:  So far, the details have been slim on Molson Coors Beverage Company’s new hard seltzer, Vizzy.  Since the company teased an upcoming new seltzer at their distributor meeting back in September, all we’ve really been able to gather is its name (Vizzy), its ABV (5%), calorie count (100), and that the product would … Continue reading “More Details on the Next Big Hard Seltzer, Vizzy”

Dear Client:  A-B sales chief Brendan Whitworth had a slew of headlines for BBD today. They’re investing millions to heavy-up on marketing for 2020, especially for above premium brands like Mich Ultra, and tripling their investment in Beyond Beer (seltzer, wine and spirits brands, etc.) — devoting “well over $100 million” on Beyond Beer big … Continue reading “A-B Heavies Up on Marketing Investment, Big Bets for Beyond Beer”

Dear Client:  Busy Monday.  So first, Pabst announced that it was going to transition all of its contract beer production to City Brewing of LaCrosse, WIS.   SIDEBAR:  That LaCrosse brewery, originally owned by G. Heileman, has been a workhorse brewery for this country for the better part of 35 years.  It has served as the … Continue reading “Two Big Deals in One Day”

Dear Client:  CBA will soon join A-B’s Brewers Collective (subject to obligatory red tape).  After A-B passed its August deadline to scoop up the remaining shares of Craft Beer Alliance at $24.50 (about $475 million) as per their commercial agreement struck in 2016, the two breweries are reporting that A-B will indeed seal the deal … Continue reading “A-B Buying CBA After All”

Dear Client:  Pabst just notified its distributor partners of a “very exciting development.” The brewer has struck a deal to expand their “current cooperation” with large contract brewer City Brewing Company, which will see a “majority of the Pabst volume currently produced by MillerCoors” moving over to City Brewing facilities “within 5 years.”   A separate … Continue reading “Pabst Strikes Production Agreement with City Brewing Through 2040”

Dear Client:  Last week we checked in with new Diageo Beer Co. CMO Jay Sethi, who teased new plans for the on-premise.  He also teased new big campaigns imminent for Guinness.  We’d been prying for more detail behind DBC chief Nuno Teles’ promise  earlier this fall that Guinness, the second-fastest-growing U.S. import, would see a … Continue reading “New TV Spots for Guinness?”

Dear Client:  Diageo Beer Co. is up almost 17% in multi-outlet and convenience YTD In IRI, and even more in recent periods. That’s pretty darn good.  We took the stats as occasion to pull the ear of Jay Sethi, the new CMO for Diageo Beer Co.  JAY’S FOCUS. Jay has only been CMO since August, … Continue reading “Diageo Beer Co. CMO Talks Growth, On-Premise Plays”

Dear Client:  As BBD broke news in September, A-B is launching a Bud Light hard seltzer brand next year. Now the company has officially announced the product will hit in Q1 of 2020.  It’s made with “sparkling water, real cane sugar and natural fruit flavors and comes in four flavor varieties – black cherry, mango, … Continue reading “A-B Officially Announces Bud Light Seltzer Flavors… Plus, More on the New BONV!V”