Beer trends continue to improve in the off-premise, according to Circana in the market research firm’s monthly beer report.
Beer dollar sales in Circana-tracked channels (multi-outlet plus convenience) are up +3.1% year-to-date (YTD), through August 13, while volume (case sales) is down -2.3%. In the last four weeks, beer posted a slightly improved performance, with a +3.4% year-over-year (YoY) increase in dollar sales and -1.5% decrease in volume.
Craft trends have also improved slightly, although trends for the last four weeks are down versus the previous four-week period.
Craft dollar sales are down -0.6% YTD, while volume is down -4.9%. In the last four weeks, craft dollar sales were up +0.2% YoY and volume was down -3.8%.
While the last four weeks is an improvement over YTD trends, they are below the four-week numbers posted in Circana’s previous monthly beer report, ending July 16: craft dollar sales +1.2% YoY, volume -2.9%.
Imports, flavored malt beverage (FMBs) and non-alcoholic (NA) beer continued to outpace the total beer category:
- Import dollar sales +11.5% YTD, volume +6.8%;
- FMB dollar sales +18.4%, volume +13.1%;
- NA dollar sales +31.4%, volume +19.8%.
The three segments also continued their double-digit growth trends in the last four weeks:
- Import dollar sales +14.8%, volume +10.5%;
- FMB dollar sales +15.3%, volume +11.1%;
- NA dollar sales +31.8%, volume +21.4%.
In the last four weeks, domestic premiums (dollar sales -0.6% YoY, volume -4.6%), domestic super premiums (dollar sales -2.9%, volume -5.2%), malt-based hard seltzers (dollar sales -14.7%, volume -20%) and assorted beer (dollar sales -13%, volume -15%) were all in the red.
Bud Light Volume -27.9% in Last 4 Weeks
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (A-B) YTD trends fell slightly in the latest monthly report, with dollar sales down -6.3% and volume down -10.5%. In the previous Circana report, A-B dollar sales were down -5.6% YTD and volume was down 10%.
In the last four weeks, A-B dollar sales declined -10.5% YoY, to nearly $1.9 billion, while volume declined -13.7%.
Bud Light dollar sales are down -14.9% YTD, while volume is down -19.1%. In the previous Circana report, Bud Light dollar sales were down -13.4% YTD, and volume -17.8%. Dollar sales for the overall Bud brand family are down -12.2% YTD, to $3.51 billion, while volume is down -16.6%.
In the last four weeks, Bud Light dollar sales declined -25% YoY, while volume was down -27.9%.
Bud Light remains the No. 1 beer brand YTD in Circana-tracked channels. However, Constellation Brands’ Modelo continues to post double-digit growth. Dollar sales for the overall Modelo brand family are up +19.9% YTD, to nearly $3.87 billion, while volume is up +14.5%.
In the last four weeks, Modelo Especial dollar sales were up +18.8% YoY, while volume increased +15.2%.
In the convenience channel, Modelo Especial is the No. 1 beer brand by dollar sales, with a 10.54% share of total beer c-store dollars YTD. Modelo dollar sales are up +16.4% YTD, while volume is up +11.2%.
Meanwhile, dollar sales for No. 2 Bud Light is down -14.5% YTD and volume is down -19%. The A-B brand has lost -2.38 share points of beer c-store dollar sales YTD. However, it remains the No. 1 beer brand in the channel by case sales.
Weekly Report: Bev-Alc dollars +4.1% YoY, Beer +4.4%
Circana’s Scott Scanlon also shared Circana data for the latest week, ending August 20.
Total bev-alc sales in Circana-tracked channels were up +4.1% YoY in the latest week, while volume declined -0.4%. In the last 52 weeks, total bev-alc sales are up +3%, while volume is down -2.5%.
Beer outpaced total bev-alc dollar sales growth in the latest week, improving +4.4% YoY. However, volume declines were larger for the category (-0.6% YoY).
In the last 52 weeks, beer dollar sales are up +3.2%, while volume is down -2.7%.
Spirits dollar sales were up +8% YoY in the latest week, while volume was up +9.9%. In the last week, spirits dollar sales increased +6.8%, while volume increased +7.7%. The growth is partially driven by more than 45% dollar sales increases from ready-to-drink (RTD) brands High Noon Sun Sips and BuzzBallz:
- High Noon dollar sales +47.7% YoY in the latest week, volume +44.6%;
- BuzzBallz dollar sales +46.5%, volume +46.5%.
Total RTD dollar sales increased +7.2% YoY in the latest week, while volume was up +0.4%. The segment’s growth continues to be driven by spirits-based brands, which posted a combined +64.2% increase in dollar sales and +56.6% increase in volume.
Dollar sales for malt-based RTDs were down -42.1% in the latest week, while volume declined -43.4%.