3 Up, 3 Down with 3 Tier Beverages is a quarterly insights series available to Brewbound Insiders, via the Chicago-headquartered, bev-alc-focused consulting and data firm.
Massachusetts-based hard seltzer brand Willie’s Superbrew was midway through a call with the supermarket chain Harris Teeter when the buyer interjected…
This Fall, hard seltzer fans will see a new take on an instant favorite from Cigar City Brewing. An extension to their original citrus-forward mixed pack, Cigar City Seltzer Limeades will bring a slightly tart, refreshing option to shelves in four distinct flavors including Cherry, Mango, Peach and Coconut, which all complement a distinct limeade base.
The beer category didn’t see fireworks in off-premise retail sales this July 4, market research firm NielsenIQ reported. “For the biggest beer holiday of the year, the category had lackluster performance in the off-premise channels this year, with dollar sales down -5.1% compared to last year, and up +7% compared to 2019, which was driven in great part by beyond beer segments,” NielsenIQ vice president of beverage alcohol practice Danelle Kosmal wrote.
Boston Beer Company adjusted its full-year forecast for shipments and depletions growth after a significant slowdown in the hard seltzer segment in the second quarter. The company previously projected full-year growth of 40-50% in shipments (sales to wholesalers) and depletions (sales to retailers), but has trimmed that projection to 25-40%. Its depletions increased 24% during Q2, decelerating by half from Q1’s growth of 48%, according to remarks from founder and chairman Jim Koch in the quarterly earnings release. “To be totally honest, we’re surprised at the sharpness and the suddenness of the change in trajectory,” Koch said during a conference call with investors and analysts.
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, which Coke launched this year in partnership with Molson Coors Beverage Company, is now available in 17 markets worldwide with plans to be in 28 markets by the end of the year.
Stone Brewing Company’s entry into the $4.5 billion hard seltzer segment — Buenavida Hard Seltzer — is now available in Southern California.
Beverage alcohol sales at some convenience stores have begun to decelerate as the on-premise channel reopens, Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog reported in her Q2 “Beverage Bytes” survey of c-store retailers. Half of survey respondents reported no impact to alcohol sales during the July 4 holiday weekend. Meanwhile, 33% reported a moderate negative impact, and 17% reported a significant moderate impact.
Boston Beer Company and Beam Suntory today announced a joint venture to extend two of the companies’ most popular brands — Truly Hard Seltzer and Sauza tequila — across categories.
Beer industry depletions (sales-to-retailers) volumes tracked by beverage alcohol invoicing and logistics firm Fintech have increased 9% year-to-date through Week 27 compared to the same period last year, National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones and Fintech director of distributors Jim Kallies shared yesterday during a quarterly review of the industry’s performance.
Ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktails’ share of Drizly sales is growing at 15 times the rate of hard seltzer, according to e-commerce alcohol marketplace Drizly’s 2021 Consumer Report.
Consulting firm BW166 reported that label approvals for seltzer and seltzer-like products are accelerating, with approvals trending at 334 per month compared to the 228 per month in 2020. More than half (53%) of on-premise visitors went to a bar or restaurant during the July 4 weekend, according to CGA, an on-premise market research firm.
The river has run its course for Coors Seltzer, Molson Coors Beverage Company told wholesalers today. In a message to the company’s wholesalers this afternoon, Molson Coors chief marketing officer Michelle St. Jacques and U.S. sales president Kevin Doyle announced the company will cease production of Coors Seltzer, asking wholesalers to sell through remaining inventory.
Hard seltzer could account for 10% of total beverage alcohol sales by 2025, according to a report from financial services firm Credit Suisse. Since 2019, hard seltzer, which currently accounts for 3.5% of total beverage alcohol, has been pulling share from all three categories.
Hard seltzer accounted for 28% of beer category sales on Drizly over the July 4 weekend, up 2% from 2020, according to the on-demand, e-commerce alcohol delivery platform.
