New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA (Voodoo Ranger) is now the No. 1 craft beer by dollar sales in the convenience channel, passing Molson Coors’ Blue Moon Belgian White (Blue Moon), according to data firm Circana’s monthly beer report.
Voodoo Ranger has increased c-store dollar sales +14.8%, to more than $81 million year-to-date (YTD), ending November 5. The IPA now has 5.84% share of total craft beer dollar sales in the channel.
In the last four weeks, Voodoo Ranger c-store dollar sales increased +13.9% year-over-year (YoY), and volume (case sales) increased +10.8%. The brand claimed 6.15% share of c-store craft dollar sales in the four-week period.
Blue Moon dollar sales have declined -2.7% YTD, to $80.8 million, with 5.82% share of craft c-store dollars. In the last four weeks, Blue Moon dollar sales declined -4.4% YoY, claiming 5.5% share of total craft c-store dollar sales. Blue Moon volume declined -6.4% YoY in the period.
Voodoo Ranger’s dollar sales boost may have been helped by its premium price tag. The average price per case of Voodoo Ranger in c-stores is now $48.39, an increase of $2.50 YTD. Blue Moon’s case price has increased +$1.84 YTD, to $42.66.
Blue Moon remains the No. 1 craft beer by volume in c-stores, with 6.34% share of total craft volume in the channel, despite a -6.9% decline in case sales YTD, to more than 1.89 million cases. Voodoo Ranger has the second largest share (5.6%), increasing case sales +8.9% YTD, to more than 1.67 million cases.
C-stores remain the strongest off-premise growth channel for craft, with total segment dollar sales up +4.5% YTD and volume +0.1%. In the last four weeks, craft dollar sales increased +2.4% YoY, while volume increased +0.1%.
In total Circana-tracked off-premise channels (multi-outlet + convenience), craft dollar sales are down -0.9% YTD, and volume is down -4.8%. In the last four weeks, craft dollar sales declined -2.6% YoY, and volume declined -4.4%.
Meanwhile, in the grocery channel, Boston Beer Company’s Samuel Adams Seasonal has passed Voodoo Ranger for the No. 2 spot by dollar sales YTD.
Samuel Adams Seasonal dollar sales are down -5.8% YTD in grocery, to more than $49.86 million – 2.29% share of total craft dollars in the channel. However, in the last four weeks, the brand’s dollar sales increased +1.1% YoY, to more than $8.27 million. The latest growth is a positive change versus the previous four-week period, ending October 8, when Samuel Adams Seasonal dollar sales were down -11.2% YoY.
Voodoo Ranger grocery dollar sales are up +6.7% YTD, to $47.46 million (2.18% of craft dollars). In the last four weeks, Voodoo Ranger dollar sales increased +2.3% YoY, to more than $4.48 million. The brand’s growth slowed slightly versus the previous four-week period, when dollar sales increased +3.6% YoY.
The price differential between the two brands is less than that of Voodoo Ranger and Blue Moon. The average case price for Samuel Adams Seasonal in grocery is $38.61, an increase of $1.48 YTD. The average case price for Voodoo Ranger in grocery is $41.30, an increase of $1.37 YTD.
Craft has struggled in grocery this year. Dollar sales for the total segment are down -3.5% YTD, while volume is down -6.8%. In the last four weeks, craft dollar sales declined -4.8% YoY, and volume declined -6%.
Samuel Adams Seasonal also entered the top 5 for craft brands in total Circana-tracked off-premise channels, passing Molson Coors’ Leinenkugel’s Shandy Seasonal for the No. 5 spot. And in the last four weeks, Samuel Adams Seasonal had the second largest share of craft beer dollars in period (3.93%), behind Blue Moon (5.23%), increasing dollar sales +2.1% YoY, to more than $14 million.
Samuel Adams Seasonal dollar sales are down -5.2% YTD in total off-premise channels, to more than $84.3 million, equivalent to 2.12% share of total craft beer dollars, below Blue Moon, Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, Voodoo Ranger Juice Force and Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing.