IRI: Off-Premise Craft Beer Sales Reach $4.74 B in 2022; Case Sales Decline -8.6% YoY

Craft beer dollar sales at off-premise retailers reached more than $4.74 billion in 2022, a -4.7% decline year-over-year (YoY), according to the market research firm IRI.

IRI tracks beer category performance in multi-outlet food plus convenience channels. Craft beer’s off-premise performance in 2022 was similar to 2021, when craft dollar sales declined -$4.6%, to nearly $5 billion.

Craft’s share of total beer dollar sales in IRI-tracked channels declined by 0.61 share points to 10.63%, through January 1, 2023. The segment’s volume – determined by case sales – also declined in 2022, by more than 10.8 million cases (-8.6%, to nearly 115.4 million cases). Craft’s performance lagged behind the total beer category’s performance in both dollar sales (+0.8%) and case sales (-4.8%).

The average price per case of craft beer increased +$1.68, to $41.10 per case. The price increase was above total beer, which increased +$1.57, to $18.60 per case. Non-alcoholic (NA) beer and cider recorded the largest price increases (+$2.58 each), to $46.37 per case and $32.29 per case, respectively. Craft was the third most expensive beer segment per case, after NA beer and assorted beer (+$2.17, to $44.88 per case).

IRI includes craft brands owned by large manufacturers in its craft data. It should also be noted that scan data is only a snapshot of a segment’s performance, and does not include on-premise dollar sales, at-the-brewery sales, or other channels beyond grocery and c-store.

Craft sales at grocery stores declined -5.7%, to nearly $2.7 billion, while case sales declined -9.5%, to nearly 66.6 million cases. Comparatively, the total beer category’s dollar sales declined -1.5% in the channel, while case sales declined -5.7%.

Craft claimed a 19.98% share of the category in grocery stores, a -0.9% decline year-over-year (YoY) – the second largest share loss percentage in the beer category, after hard seltzer (-1.42 share points, to 11.9% share). However, the segment still holds the second largest share of beer in the channel, behind domestic premiums (23.26% share), followed closely behind by imports (+0.42 share points in 2022, to 19.15% share).

Craft sales at c-stores declined -3.5%, to nearly $1.56 billion, while case sales declined -8%, to 34.8 million cases. Total beer sales increased +1.7% in the channel, while case sales declined -4.9%. Craft claimed a 6.33% share of total beer dollar sales at c-stores, dropping 0.34 share points YoY. The segment has the seventh largest share of beer dollar sales in the channel, behind domestic premiums (-1.62 share points in 2022, to 28.2% share); imports (+1.86 points, to 23.94%); domestic sub-premiums (-0.51 points, to 13.37%); domestic super premiums (+0.26 points, to 9.93%); flavored malt beverages (+1.15 points, to 9.71%); and hard seltzer (-0.77 points, to 7.82%).

Molson Coors’ Blue Moon Belgian White remained the top-selling craft beer brand in 2022, despite a -1.3% decline in dollar sales, to nearly $276.8 million, in multi-outlet plus convenience stores. In 2021, Blue Moon dollar sales declined -8.5%, facing tough comps – including a +9.2% YoY increase in 2020 – from consumers’ shift in spending to the off-premise during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The No. 2 best-selling craft brand was New Belgium Brewing’s Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, which recorded a +16.7% increase in dollar sales, to nearly $152.5 million. Sierra Nevada’s Hazy Little Thing was the only other top 10 craft brand to post YoY gains (+3.1%, to nearly $106.3 million).

The rest of the top-10 craft brands posted YoY declines, with the exception of No. 10, Voodoo Ranger Juice Force, which launched in early 2022 and does not have 2021 comps:

Boston Beer Company’s Samuel Adams Seasonal (-2.1%, to nearly $104.4 million);
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (-9%, to nearly $89.5 million);
Shiner Bock (-7.7%, to nearly $87.1 million);
Molson Coors’ Leinenkugel’s Shandy (-5.4%, to $83.2 million);
Heineken’s Lagunitas IPA (-13.3%, to nearly $80.4 million);
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Elysian Space Dust IPA (-4.2%, to $74.6 million);

New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger Juice Force hazy imperial IPA posted nearly $73.3 million in off-premise sales in its first year in the market and was the most successful craft beer launch of all time.

Four other New Belgium brands made IRI’s top 30 craft brands list: Fat Tire Amber Ale (-15.4%, to nearly $47 million), which just received a makeover and recipe refresh; Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA (+5.9%, to nearly $47 million); Voodoo Ranger Hoppy Pack variety pack (+33%, to nearly $34.8 million); and Voodoo Ranger IPA (-15.5%, to $33.3 million).

Bell’s Brewery – which shares parent company Lion Little World Beverages with New Belgium – had two brands in the top 30: No. 13 Two Hearted IPA (-5.2%, to $53.5 million) and No. 29 Bell’s Seasonal (-13.8%, to $19 million).

After New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger variety pack, Sierra Nevada’s Big Little Thing imperial IPA posted the largest increase in dollar sales YOY (+30.9%), with nearly $26.4 million in off-premise sales, ranking No. 27. Six total Sierra Nevada brands made the top 30 list, despite some large declines, including No. 24 Torpedo Extra IPA (-20.8%, to nearly $29.4 million) and No. 30 Sierra Nevada seasonal (-13.8%, to $19 million).

The only other craft brands to post dollar sales gains in 2022 include A-B’s Kona Big Wave golden ale (+4%, to nearly 47.4 million) and Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA (+24.4%, to nearly $23.7 million).

All other craft brands in the top 30 posted off-premise dollar sales declines:

Firestone Walker 805 (-8.9%, to nearly $66.7 million);
Founders All Day IPA (-10.1%, to nearly $66.3 million);
Molson Coors’ Blue Moon Light Sky (-17.3%, to nearly $49.6 million);
Samuel Adams Boston Lager (-13.1%, to nearly $48.3 million);
Heneiken’s Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin Ale (-7%, to $40 million);
CANarchy’s Cigar City Jai Alai IPA (-3.4%, to nearly $39.4 million);
Samuel Adams Variety Pack (-3.1%, to nearly $33.2 million);
A-B’s Goose Island IPA (-18.5%, to $28.1 million);
A-B’s Shock Top Belgian White (-23.8%, to $27.5 million).

IPAs remained the top-selling craft beer style in IRI-tracked channels, despite a -2% decline in dollar sales to $2.1 billion. The style gained 1.24 share points to claim a 44.37% share of craft.

Seasonals remained No. 2, despite a -6.9% decline in dollar sales, to $461 million, and the loss of 0.23 share points, to 9.72% share. Similarly, Belgian Wit remained No. 3, despite a -6.6% decline in dollar sales, to 383.1 million, and the loss of 0.17 share points, to a 8.08% share of craft.

Variety recorded the largest increase in dollar sales (+5.7%), to nearly $345.1 million, gaining 0.71 share points to claim 7.28% share of craft off-premise dollar sales.

All the other top 10 craft styles recorded declines in dollar sales in 2022:

Pale ale (-5.9%, to $252.9 million);
Golden ale (-8%, to $213.5 million);
Fruit/veggie/spice (-9.3%, to $132.9 million);
Other pale lagers (-7.6%, to $129.3 million);
Bocks (-11%, to nearly $108 million);
Amber ale (-14.3%, to $87.4 million).

Stouts recorded the largest share loss percentage in off-premise channels (-0.27 share points, to 1.42% share). Dollar sales of craft stouts declined -19.9% YoY, to $67.5 million.

Wheat beer, the No. 12 craft style, was the only other style tracked by IRI to gain share in 2022 (+0.13 share points, to 1.55% share), increasing dollar sales +3.7%, to $73.6 million.

In grocery stores, IPA was the No. 1 craft beer style (+0.28 share points, to 38.98% share), followed by seasonals (-0.17 points, to 11.3% share) and variety (+0.83 points, to 9.13% share). Only three styles increased dollar sales in the channel in 2022: variety (+3.7%, to $244 million); wheat beer (+6.5%, to $49.6 million); and light beer (+0.4%, to $19 million).

The top 10 craft brands in grocery stores were:

Blue Moon Belgian White (-0.1%, to $126.5 million);
Sam Adams Seasonal (-1.8%, to nearly $62.8 million);
New Belgium Voodoo Imperial IPA (+9.8%, to nearly $53.2 million);
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (-6.4%, to $51.5 million);
Leinenkugel’s Shandy Seasonal (-6.4%, to $47.3 million);
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing (-1.5%, to $45.8 million);
Lagunitas IPA (-11.2%, nearly $40 million);
Shiner Bock (-4.5%, to $36.2 million);
Founders All Day IPA (-10.9%, to nearly $35 million);
New Belgium Fat Tire (-11.2%, to nearly $31.3 million).

In c-stores, IPA was again the No. 1 craft beer style (+3.26 share points, to 57.21% share of craft), with significantly more share over the next top-selling styles Belgian wits (-0.41 share points, to 7.76%) and seasonals (-0.38 share points, to 6.37% share). Three styles recorded an increase in dollar sales: IPA (+2.3%, to nearly $892.5 million); variety (+2.2%, to $35.6 million); and barley wine (+13.3%, to $174,336).

The top 10 beer brands in c-stores include: