Inflation for beer continued to outpace trends for total bev-alc in October, but lessened versus September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in its Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.

The on-premise channel – including bars, restaurants, event venues and more – is primed to provide growth for beer. The key for suppliers and distributors to capitalize on that opportunity is to understand what retail operators are prioritizing, including profitability and efficiency, according to Levy Restaurants director of beverage analytics and strategy Scott Brown and BeerBoard chief strategy officer Brandy Rand.

Ready-to-drink cocktails are now allowed at more retailers and restaurants in Pennsylvania, but that doesn’t mean drinkers in the Keystone State are cracking open an array of canned cocktails.

Non-alcoholic beer continues to be one of a handful of beer segments to record growth in scans. However, beer is also finding growth at the other end of the ABV spectrum, and was the subject of the latest report from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC).

Alison Payne will take over as Heineken USA’s (HUSA) chief marketing officer, effective January 2025.

In just 30 days, beer and beverage-alcohol leaders will meet in Marina del Rey, California, for Brewbound Live 2024. The two-day business conference offers a chance for entrepreneurs and industry experts in the beer and bev-alc sector to come together, gain insights and foster industry growth.

What was it like for CPG businesses to bear the brunt of a once-in-a-thousand-year hurricane? In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact in September, we spoke with a handful of brands from North Carolina to hear how they are rebuilding from loss through communal support and entrepreneurial resilience.

The beer category’s sluggish summer was apparent in Molson Coors’ third quarter earnings, which the company reported last week. Net sales in the Americas declined -11%, driven by a -15.6% decline in financial volumes “and unfavorable foreign currency impacts, partially offset by favorable price and sales mix,” Molson Coors wrote in its earnings report.

Here at the end of election week … it’s much better when it’s beer that is seeing its extremes are widening. BWC broke out the growing divide in ABV preferences in the U.S. since 2022, for sales through Oct. 20 via NIQ data:

In the wake of Tuesday’s election, beer industry trade groups are diving into the changes that could be coming and the potential impact on their members, with shifts across the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and White House.

Monster Beverage Company reported that it has “restructured” the senior management of its alcohol brands division, following the appointment of Ray LaRue as president, the company shared within its Q3 2024 financial results. Nevertheless, the company said it remains “positive for the prospects of alcohol products within our broader portfolio.”

Lord Hobo Brewing and Lone Pine Brewing announced plans to merge today, bringing together a pair of New England craft breweries under a single ownership structure. The companies declined to share financial terms of the transaction, which is expected to close in Q4, pending regulatory approval.

Molson Coors has acquired a majority stake in energy drink brand ZOA in a $53 million cash transaction, expanding its growing non-alcoholic beyond beer portfolio and adding to rising M&A interest across the energy space.

The U.S.’s total beer supply declined -6.7% year-over-year (YoY) in September, as built-up summer inventories (domestic production plus imports) fell back in line with depletion trends, according to Beer Institute (BI) chief economist Andrew Heritage.