Report: Michel Doukeris Favored to Replace Carlos Brito
Anheuser-Busch InBev may be looking inward for a possible successor for CEO Carlos Brito. According to Bloomberg News, Michel Doukeris, CEO of A-B’s U.S. business, is the front-runner to succeed Brito.
The move is expected to be announced “in the coming weeks before the company’s annual general meeting in April,” Bloomberg reported. Although the decision is not yet final, the plan in place would see Doukeris replace Brito later this year following a transition period.
Last September, the Financial Times reported that A-B had begun the process of replacing Brito. At that time, Doukeris, who started with A-B in 1996, was considered “the most credible internal candidate.”
US Brewers Shipped More Than 167 Million Barrels in 2020
U.S. brewers shipped 167,362,000 barrels of beer in 2020, an increase of 0.1% (or 171,841) compared to 2019, according to the Beer Institute (BI), which cited unofficial estimates of domestic tax paid shipments from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
That’s an improvement over the previously communicated estimates of down 0.5%, a loss of 859,590 barrels of beer. The latest changes reflect revisions upward for August (+4.7%), September (+5.1%) and October (+2.4%). More revisions are expected, notably for November and December, the BI reported.
By comparison, U.S. brewers shipped 167,190,159 barrels in 2019.
The BI also shared estimates for January 2021, with shipments up 2.4% (+302,000 barrels), to 12,725,000 barrels.
No Hard Seltzer From Monster Yet
Energy drink maker Monster reported its Q4 and full-year earnings this week, and no, the company didn’t announce a hard seltzer brand launch.
As BevNet reported, Monster vice chairman and co-CEO Hilton H. Schlosberg offered no details on Monster’s rumored entry into the hard seltzer segment, saying the company is “reviewing” the opportunity and “looking at where the category is going” prior to making any commitments.
Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog reiterated that the financial firm believes that entering the $4.1 billion hard seltzer segment “could be a big opportunity” for the beverage maker, but the firm doesn’t “anticipate a launch until later this year or early next year.” In fact, Herzog wrote that the lack of announcement likely rules out making spring/summer retailer resets.
Goldman Sachs also temperature checked wholesalers and retailers on a potential Monster hard seltzer launch, and the feedback from those contacts was that “2021 is likely to be a shake out year in hard seltzers and that [Monster] could be waiting to see which brands thrive and which ones go away before making a final decision.”
Heavy Seas Changes Wholesalers in Maryland
Baltimore-headquartered Heavy Seas Beer is making changes to its wholesaler network in Maryland, ending a 25-year partnership with Republic National Distributing Co. in the state, the company announced today.
“RNDC has been a great partner for a very long time, and we will be forever grateful for how much they helped us grow our brand,” Heavy Season founder and managing partner Hugh Sisson said in a press release. “No doubt, they were the perfect partner from our inception as Clipper City, and while the time has come to make a change now, it is truly a bittersweet moment. I have great respect for the incredible team at RNDC and wish them nothing but the best for the future.”
The wholesaler change goes into effect today, with Chesapeake Beverage Co. taking over distribution of Heavy Seas products in the city of Baltimore, as well as Baltimore, Howard and Carroll counties.
Additionally, B P Lesky Distributing Co., which distributes the Heavy Seas portfolio in Washington County, will also take over Frederick County.
Those markets account for about 20% of Heavy Seas’ volume, CEO Dan Kopman told Brewbound.
The moves are part of a larger effort by Heavy Seas over the last three years to strengthen its wholesaler network, including changes in Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington, D.C.
Deschutes Brewery Adds Distribution in Georgia, Tennessee and Delaware
Bend, Oregon-headquartered Deschutes Brewery will add distribution in Georgia and Tennessee on March 1 and Delaware by April 5, the company announced Thursday.
Deschutes will partner with the Anheuser-Busch network in the southeast, including Leon Farmer & Company, Atlanta Beverage, Atlanta Beverage Company, B&B Distributing, Bibb Distributing, Eagle Rock Distributing, La Grange Distributing, Johnson Distributing, Southern Eagle Distributing, Albany Beverage Company in Georgia; and Ajax Turner, Eagle Distributing Knoxville, and TriStar Beverage in Tennessee.
Deschutes will partner with Standard Distributing Co. Inc. in Delaware.
“We’re extremely excited to launch our brands into these states, expanding distribution and introducing our defining beers to a whole new market for us,” Ashley Pond, Deschutes’ director of business development, said in the release. “We are proud to partner with so many incredible wholesalers in these new territories and join their craft beer communities.”
Deschutes will launch in those three states with its Fresh family of IPAs — Fresh Squeezed and Fresh Haze — and Black Butte Porter.
Bale Breaker Brewing Expands Distribution to Southern Idaho
Yakima, Washington-based Bale Breaker Brewing announced it has signed with Hayden Beverage to sell its offerings in southern Idaho.
The move completes Bale Breaker’s footprint in Idaho. Bale Breaker also distributes to all of Washington and most of Oregon.
“Idaho craft drinkers around Boise have been requesting our beer for a while now, so we’re very excited to partner with Hayden Beverage to bring our fresh-off-the-farm brews to them,” Bale Breaker co-owner and sales manager Kevin Quinn said in an announcement.
Earlier this week, Bale Breaker announced it will open a shared taproom in Seattle this summer with Wenatchee, Washington-based Yonder Cider.
Adam Warrington Lands at Praytell
Adam Warrington, who led Anheuser-Busch’s corporate social responsibility team for nearly three years, has joined public relations firm Praytell as chief reputation officer, according to PRovoke Media.
Warrington’s role was newly created and he’ll be tasked with building and leading the firm’s corporate reputation practice.
Warrington spent more than seven years with A-B, previously serving as head of communications for the company’s craft beer division, then called The High End, now the Brewers Collective. He exited the company last month.
Danny Brager Joins M&A and Business Consultancy
Danny Brager, the long-time leader of market research firm Nielsen’s beverage alcohol practice, has joined Azur Associates M&A and business consultancy, the Napa Valley-based advisory firm announced this week.
“At Azur, our mission is to help our clients position themselves advantageously in the marketplace, whether they are looking to grow their business, find strategic acquisitions or sell their company,” founder Pat DeLong said in a press release. “The best decisions require robust market knowledge, and we now have the insights team to deliver an even deeper perspective.”
Brager departed NielsenIQ last year.
New Product Watch
Covington, Kentucky-based Braxton Brewing’s Vive Hard Seltzer has launched a fruit punch hard seltzer variety 12-pack. The pack includes Original Punch, Southern Punch, Sunrise Punch and Tropical Punch. Each checks in at 100 calories and 5% ABV, with 2 grams of carbohydrates.
Anheuser-Busch has added a new Bud Light Seltzer variety pack — the “Out of Office” pack — featuring four new flavors (5% ABV, 100 calories): Watermelon Mojito, Classic Margarita, Mango Mai Tai and Strawberry Daiquiri. The variety 12-pack will be available nationwide March 1 through May 15.
Crook & Marker has released Lime Margaritas, a ready-to-drink 5% ABV offering with 100 calories 1 gram of carbohydrates and no sugar. The new product is available in 8-packs.
