Dear Client:    With September scans now in the books, Bump Williams Consulting has issued its third quarter craft review bringing a “slightly more promising outlook” for the segment.  Indeed, there are a few things highlighted in the BWC review that craft can hang its hat on three quarters in to 2023, like the fact that: … Continue reading “Promising Signs Unfold for Craft in BWC’s Q3 Review”

Dear Client:   A panel at the recent 2023 Sovos ShipCompliant Beverage Alcohol Summit put the spotlight on movements to extend direct routes to market for bev alc suppliers like DTC shipping and self-distribution, as our sibling pub Wine & Spirits Daily highlighted last week. As you know by now, such efforts are pushed on a … Continue reading “The Push for DTC Parity Among Beer, Wine and Spirits”

Dear Client:   Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing recently unveiled its 2024 business plans and they’re planning to innovate heavily, leaning on brand extensions of their most popular craft beer and seltzer products.  Among the brand extensions include several new package sizes and offerings that play on popular craft styles and categories, including a non-alcoholic play on … Continue reading “BLVD Doubling Down on Innovation, Brand Extensions in ’24”

Dear Client:   Molson Coors is lifting the veil today on “a big swing” it will take next year in the flavored adult beverage space:  a new “spiked refresher,” dubbed Happy Thursday. The brand, “inspired by new legal drinking-age consumers,” is billed as a “bubble-free” beverage that carries “easy-drinking sessionability” with the line checking in at … Continue reading “Molson Coors Betting Big on Bubble-Free Spiked Refresher, Happy Thursday”

Dear Client:   Belgian craft import Chouffe is aiming to reach young LDA consumers in ‘24, with Duvel USA unveiling the latest business plans this week to do just that.  Duvel USA VP of marketing Brian Reames said during Duvel USA’s virtual distributor meeting that “no other Belgium brand has the momentum of Chouffe right now, … Continue reading “Duvel USA’s Chouffe Catering to Younger LDA Consumers with New Offerings”

Dear Client:   With many of the biggest brewers already in the non-alc segment (Heineken 0.0, Bud Zero, etc.) and more of them coming into the segment (from Sierra Nevada’s new Trail Pass to Blue Moon’s imminent non-alc version), it seems increasingly clear that, despite its still small share of the overall beer category, non-alc beer … Continue reading “Athletic Chief Sees “Dramatic Shift” In Non-Alc Beer Position at Retail”

Dear Client:   It’s no secret that cannabis-turned-global CPG company Tilray Brands has been on a diversification streak, particularly as the U.S. cannabis market has taken longer than expected to become legalized federally.  And during the company’s FY 2024 Q1 call this morning, CEO and chairman Irwin Simon said the strategy has resulted in record Q1 … Continue reading “Tilray Earnings: Doubling Down on Diversification”

Dear Client:   Ever wonder what’s trending in wine and spirits land, as craft becomes a larger, more multi-faceted segment? Our sister publication, Wine & Spirits Daily, recently did the heavy lifting, pinging the largest wine and spirits distributors to get their read on summer trends and what they’re expecting to see in OND.  SUMMER HOLIDAY … Continue reading “W&S Distributors Grok Summer Trends, OND Expectations”

Dear Client:   Although there are certainly some shiny new brands for Monster to play with in its bev alc portfolio, like the Beast Unleashed and coming hard tea Nasty Beast, the company does not appear to be neglecting its chest of craft brands, the $330 million ticket that brought them into the bev alc arena … Continue reading “CANarchy’s Largest Craft Brand Receives Playful, New Campaign”

Dear Client:   California is the first state in the country to declare Oct. 10 Black Brewers Day. Securing the declaration was among the National Black Brewers Association’s main priorities this year, after the newly formed nonprofit made its public debut at the Craft Brewers Conference in May [see CBD 05-08-2023].  CBD caught up with founding … Continue reading “California Leads States, Cities Declaring October 10 Black Brewers Day”

Dear Client:   Last week, high end chief Andy Thomas took to the screen at Anheuser-Busch’s virtual EAM meet to talk about the High End of the A-B portfolio, including a refined craft strategy.  It’s all about driving mega brands (like Stella and Kona Big Wave) among the High End.  As for their craft portfolio, they’ll … Continue reading “Behind Anheuser-Busch’s Craft Strategy Today”

Dear Client:   Bart Watson was back behind the Brewers Association’s stainless-steel keyboard this week, firing off a new blog post for the organization’s members that centered on taproom and brewpub trends. The chief economist of the BA built this latest post – which dove into general sales trends of these establishments, the composition of sales … Continue reading “Bart Digs Into Taproom and Brewpub Trends for Latest Blog Post”

Dear Client:   The latest scans are in and craft is looking pretty static. Circana data, stretching to September 10, shows the segment’s dollar trends are stuck around flat in multi-outlet and convenience for the latest four weeks (-0.7%), the most-recent 12-weeks (+0.3%) and YTD (-0.7%). Volume trends for craft are worse, of course, but relatively … Continue reading “Little Movement for Craft in Latest Scans”

Dear Client:   Whole Foods is going all in on cider in October, hosting a national campaign featuring about 60 local and regional brands across the country in celebration of the fourth annual National Cider Month.  CBD caught up with Mary Guiver, principal global category merchant at Whole Foods, and Eric Phillips, CCO at Schilling Cider … Continue reading “Whole Foods Hosting “Unprecedented” National Cider Month Campaign”

Dear Client:   New Jersey’s Cape May Brewing announced today that it is divesting its distribution rights in its home state, bringing an effective end to its distribution arm, Cape Beverage. Indeed, Cape May Brewing products made up 97% of the 600,000 cases distributed annually by Cape Beverage, CBD understands. Taking over this Cape May Brewing … Continue reading “Cape May Divests Distribution Rights to Quad of Molson Coors Distributors”