coronavirus

Beer consumers are settling into the “next” normal — and that means increased sales in the convenience channel, according to Nielsen VP of beverage alcohol practice Danelle Kosmal.

With new cases of COVID-19 on the rise in Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker today announced the state’s reopening plan would pause at Phase 3 and new operating restrictions would be placed on restaurants.

The National Beer Wholesalers Association’s Annual Convention won’t be taking place in-person in Orlando, Florida, this October after all. The largest meeting of beer wholesalers in the country will instead go virtual from October 4-7. The NBWA was set to host its Annual Convention in Orlando in early October, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has rendered those plans unfeasible.

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year, Somerville Brewing Company is permanently closing its doors, according to a social media post Monday. Portland, Oregon-based Base Camp Brewing announced last week it will close its doors on August 9.

In a time when off-premise beer sales top $1 billion weekly, without the on-premise half of the trade, the beer industry still has “a hole to dig out of,” National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones said during a webinar presented by invoice tech firm Fintech.

On this week’s Brewbound Frontlines, Danelle Kosmal, VP of Beverage Alcohol Practice at Nielsen, analyzes hard seltzer sales trends during the coronavirus pandemic, and leaders from Press Premium Alcohol Seltzer, Nauti Hard Seltzer and Bubs Hard Seltzer discuss how their regional and national brands are competing in the fast-growing segment.

The billion dollar weeks keep coming for the beer category in off-premise retailers. Beer category sales (beer, FMBs and cider) in off-premise channels increased 14.9%, to $1.007 billion, for the week ending July 11 compared to the same week one year ago, according to market research firm Nilesen. That makes eight consecutive weeks of beer category dollar sales in excess of $1 billion.

Two thirds of Texas craft breweries say their businesses will not survive until the end of the year under their state’s current operating restrictions, according to a survey conducted by the Texas Craft Brewers Guild (TCBG).

More legal drinking age consumers than ever before are drinking craft beer, market research firm Nielsen found in its sixth annual Craft Beer Insights Poll (CIP), conducted on behalf of not-for-profit trade group the Brewers Association (BA).

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s June 26 order closing bars and other establishments that receive more than 51% of their gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages now comes with unforeseen consequences for craft breweries.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom today announced bars, breweries, brewpubs and pubs must cease all indoor on-premise service, as well as outdoor service, unless food is offered.

Facing tough comps with the 2019 July 4 holiday week, the hard seltzer segment still managed to post its strongest week in sales ever in off-premise retailers during the July 4 holiday week, according to market research firm Nielsen.

Modern Times has furloughed employees at five of its seven taprooms, the San Diego-headquartered brewery wrote in an email Thursday night. Three breweries in Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Brewers Collective, the craft division of the world’s largest beer manufacturer, have temporarily closed their taprooms after employees tested positive for COVID-19. Sierra Nevada plans to keep its taprooms, gift shops and brewery tours closed for the foreseeable future.

On this week’s Brewbound Frontlines, David and Carmen Favela, the co-owners of San Diego-based Border X Brewing, discuss their collaboration with the Mujeres Brew Club on a new taproom project aimed at empowering female brewers. Heavy Seas Beer CEO Dan Kopman also joins the panel to look at the state of the industry nearly four months into the COVID-19 crisis.