The once-booming flavored malt beverage (FMB) segment is “showing some concerning declarations over recent weeks,” Bump Williams Consulting (BWC) founder Bump Williams noted in a recent report. FMB volume gains dropped by half – from +2.2%, to +1.1% – from the four-week period to the one-week period ending May 18, according to NIQ retail measurement data cited by BWC.
Global spirits giant Suntory Holdings revealed today the creation of a new business unit, Suntory RTD Company North America, focused on malt-based, ready-to-drink (RTD) offerings with the first release expected to hit U.S. retailers in mid-January 2025.
Duvel USA-owned Boulevard’s beyond beer offshoot Quirk is tea-ing up a 2025 innovation slate that touches on hot trends in the fourth category. Quirk Hard Tea (4% ABV) will roll out in early 2025 with a standalone lemonade tea offering and a variety pack, executives announced to wholesalers during Duvel USA’s virtual wholesaler summit last week.
Hard seltzers remain down double-digits through mid-July in Circana-tracked off-premise retailers. Hard seltzer declined -11.8% in dollars and -16.1% in volume through the rolling 52-week period ending July 14.
Flavor-forward innovations are driving beer category growth and this trend is accelerating, according to the most recent report from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC). Of the top 25 growth brands at total U.S. off-premise outlets year-to-date (YTD) through June 15, 13 were “flavor-centric” or ready-to-drink (RTD) offerings, BWC founder Bump Williams noted, citing data from market research firm NIQ.
Schilling Cider has no plans to jump on the hard tea train, but the Pacific Northwest cidery still plans to meet similar consumer demand with its latest product launch: Schilling Hard Lemonade.
Pabst Brewing has taken its El Jimador Spiked Bebidas tequila-inspired flavored malt beverage (FMB) national, in just one of its several beyond beer innovation expansion plans for 2024.
Boston-based Downeast Cider is following the more-is-more philosophy when it comes to innovation in 2024. The cidermaker’s big bet for this year is the Overboard family, an 8% ABV line of unfiltered ciders.
The population of Flavortown just increased by three. Stratford, Connecticut-based Two Roads Brewing has added three new iterations of the Flavortown Spiked flavored malt beverage (FMB) line it brews in collaboration with celebrity chef Guy Fieri.
With its business expanding amid a rising U.S. energy drink category, Monster Beverage Corporation projected confidence in its widening product portfolio during its annual investor meeting presentation yesterday.
FIFCO USA-owned Seagram’s Escapes is refreshing its brand family in 2024. Seagram’s Escapes Refreshers will roll out in 15 markets next year, the company announced today. The 5% ABV flavored malt beverage (FMB) is sweetened with cane sugar and fruit juice, according to a press release.
A frequent haunt of late for Guy Fieri’s red convertible isn’t a diner, a drive-in, or a dive, but rather Stratford, Connecticut-based Two Roads Brewing.
Convenience stores represent the next big opportunity for ready-to-drink cocktails, according to a new report from NIQ. Convenience dollar share for RTDs is up 14.6% since last year, per NIQ data shared this month at NACS.
Monster’s foray into beverage-alcohol is expanding, as the energy drink maker plans to leverage its early success in FMBs with the launch of Nasty Beast hard iced tea, company leaders shared during the company’s annual shareholder meeting. Monster joins another non-alcoholic beverage juggernaut, AriZona, in launching a hard tea
“Flavor” is one of the trendiest words in beverage-alcohol right now, with producers across beer, wine and spirits boasting “flavor-forward” innovations.
