Dear Client: Reyes’ new subsidiary in Northern California, Golden Brands, is out making moves. News came in today that Golden Brands has entered into a deal to “acquire certain distribution rights” of Saccani Distributing Company in Sacramento, California. The acquisition, which is set to close on May 15, 2020, is expected to add around 1.5 … Continue reading “Reyes Grows in NorCal Through Saccani Acquisition”

Dear Client: The short answer:  Not much……. yet. I had breakfast at a taco joint yesterday with my chief of security, Blue, and the guy making my taco slightly coughed into his elbow, and glanced up at me apologetically. I mustered a smile:  Hey not a problem man.  It cannot be denied that people are … Continue reading “COVID-19’s Effect on U.S. Beer Industry: An Early Read”

Dear Client: Some of the highest applause at the Molson Coors distributor conference last week came during the Coors Banquet and High Life presentations.  The last five to seven years or so, Coors Banquet had enjoyed quarter over quarter of consecutive growth, but in recent IRI, the brand has been flat in dollars, and down … Continue reading “Coors Banquet’s New Campaign: “Stolen, Smuggled and Sought After Since 1873””

Dear Client: The National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) Legislative Conference is taking place on Capitol Hill at the end of March and while most of us grab a beer to escape politics, NBWA is heading into the belly of the beast to discuss the politics of beer with lawmakers. We caught up with NBWA’s CEO … Continue reading “NBWA Chief Outlines Key Political Issues for Leg Conference”

Dear Client: There’s a reason Constellation has the most efficient velocity growth per SKU:  No spaghetti against the wall.  After attending Anheuser-Busch’s and Molson Coors’ distributor meetings earlier this year, we wondered whether Constellation would unveil some splashy innovations at their Gold Network Summit too.  They did not. A higher ABV line extension of Corona … Continue reading “Constellation Not Throwing Spaghetti Against the Wall”

Dear Client: If I had to peg one theme of the Constellation Beer Division Gold Network distributor meeting this week, (at which your editor lurked in the back, with Corona sunglasses and a Modelo visor), it would be: Distributors, quit investing behind losing low margin brands. “Change is hard.  It’s human nature I guess, to … Continue reading “The Modelo Especial Show”

Dear Client: Some familiar names in A-B’s marketing department, like Azania Andrews and Ricardo Marques, are moving on up within the company. Azania, who has led Michelob Ultra for the past three years —taking the brand from number six by dollar sales to the number two spot over that span —is getting promoted to VP … Continue reading “A-B Shuffles Its Marketing Leadership Team”

Dear Client: We shared a slew of A-B innovation with you in our initial coverage of SAMCOM last month, but there was one biggie we had to keep under wraps – Budweiser Nitro Reserve Gold. But now the brewer is ready to share it with the public.  The “golden lager infused with nitrogen gas” is … Continue reading “Bud Nitro Hitting Shelves Without a Widget”

Dear Client: The first U.S. related question for Brito on yesterday’s earnings call was all about their outlook on, what else? Cider.  We kid, it was obviously all about seltzer. Speaking on the segment the ABI chief said, “we’re sure it’s a huge opportunity for us and for the [U.S.] beer industry in general It’s … Continue reading “Brito: We’ve Come From Behind Before, We Can Do It Again”

Dear Client: Anheuser-Busch InBev delivered fourth quarter and full year results this morning for 2019, and we have all the highlights for you. In the U.S., A-B depletions were “flattish” in the fourth quarter. That’s a significant improvement over last quarter, down 3.5% in Q3, but running behind the industry depletion wide trend for the … Continue reading “A-B Depletions “Flattish” in Q4″

Dear Client: It is with deep regret that we report that the beer industry suffered a catastrophic blow yesterday afternoon, as a gunman opened fire at the Molson Coors Milwaukee brewery, killing five employees.  Many Molson Coors employees were in Houston at their distributor sales convention, which was cut short by an emotional and choked … Continue reading “Molson Coors Mourns Loss of Five Associates”

Dear Client: There is an active shooter situation near Milwaukee’s Molson Coors brewery, with a “massive police force” on the scene, and all streets nearby are closed, according to TMJ4 News. There are dozens of squad cars in the area, but not much more is known at this time, but it is still ongoing.  A … Continue reading “Active Shooter at Molson Coors Milwaukee Brewery”

Dear Client: Sofia Colucci opened day 2 of the Molson Coors Beverage Company distributor show with a stable of seltzer plays for the future.  For those wondering if Coors would indeed line extend for a marquee seltzer: Wait no more. They’re launching Coors Seltzer in July with a full 360 media campaign.  It capitalizes on … Continue reading “Yes, Virginia, There is a Coors Seltzer”

Dear Client: Gavin Hattersley doesn’t seem like the tattoo type. But he may be dangerously close to getting “inked” with Molson Coors Beverage Co’s two largest brands, Coors Light and Miller Lite. You see: at our own Summit last year in San Diego, Michelle St. Jacques had just taken the CMO job. Her boss Gavin … Continue reading “How Molson Coors Will Protect its “Trend Bend” in 2020, In Coors Light Marketing and Beyond”

Dear Client: Whether the XFL has any staying power remains to be seen, but it appears that three games into the season Anheuser-Busch’s bet on the new football league has already paid off. The numbers behind A-B’s deal with the XFL aren’t public of course, but we would venture to guess that it was considerably … Continue reading “A-B Cashing In on XFL Partnership”