Beer inventory levels are starting out stronger this year than 2023, according to the latest Beer Purchasers Index (BPI) from the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA).
Chief economists Bart Watson (Brewers Association) and Lester Jones (National Beer Wholesalers Association) spent much of the past couple years staving off fears of a recession and preaching about how beer is “economically resilient.”
Wholesalers’ beer ordering entered expansion territory in November after four months of contraction, indicating “a more neutral stance for the industry,” according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s (NBWA) latest Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI). The BPI’s November reading for total beer was 51, a three-point month-over-month (MoM) increase from October’s reading of 48. A reading greater than 50 indicates expansion, while less than 50 indicates contraction.
October’s Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) reading of 48 “shows a steady state for the industry,” National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chief economist Lester Jones wrote in the trade group’s monthly report.
