Beverage Business Briefing

- **Theme of the week:** A “K-shaped” U.S. alcohol market—headline declines, but strong growth pockets in NA beer, RTDs, and select super-premium brands - **Beer 2025 wrap:** Total beer finished down in dollars and volume; **domestic premium weakened** while **domestic super premium and NA beer grew sharply** - **Channel signal:** Convenience stores are holding up better for beer, with **NA beer s...

Holiday sales delivered a short-term lift, but total U.S. alcohol demand remains down ~5–6% YoY across beer, wine, and spirits RTDs and prepared cocktails remain the clear growth engine, growing dollars despite softer volumes Beer declines continue, but super-premium, import, and non-alcoholic segments are gaining share Spirits face mounting pressure outside of RTDs, with visible financial stress...

Bourbon enters a normalization phase as Jim Beam pauses distilling in 2026 amid record barrel inventories Major suppliers shift to margin protection and inventory management over capacity expansion Constellation Brands expected to hold earnings despite beer depletions near -4% U.S. consumers still spend big on alcohol, but value and occasion-based trade-offs are accelerating RTDs dominate growth b...

Demand remains soft, especially in spirits ; beer is pressured but more resilient, and shipment/depletion optics may still overstate true consumption. Promotion strategies are diverging : spirits promo depth rising; beer promos more measured; non-alcohol promo behavior varies by segment. American whiskey is retrenching output amid elevated inventories—raising the stakes on inventory agility and lo...

Big deal / “Beyond Beer” AB InBev moves to buy 85% of BeatBox (up to $490M , close expected Q1 2026 ), reinforcing RTD/FAB consolidation. Beer remains soft, but share battles intensify Beer shipments down YoY ; analysts see stabilization in pockets but continued declines overall. Category winners focus on execution, price/mix, and channel strength. Spirits: trade-down + RTD boom Premium pressure s...

Macro backdrop: Record holiday shopper traffic and higher spending per person collide with weak confidence and soft core retail sales—consumers are still going out, but they’re laser-focused on value and promotion. Beer check-in: October shipments down ~3–4% YoY, but scanner data show a holiday rebound; non-alcoholic beer and super-premium brands like Michelob Ultra, Pacifico, Guinness, and White...

Major Themes Elevated inventories (inventory/sales ratio 1.67) continue to pressure pricing, innovation, and depletions. Consumer caution deepens: weaker sentiment, reduced alcohol participation, rising non-alcoholic preferences. Category divergence persists—RTDs and premium agave outperform; wine and beer face continued softness. Key Stories RTDs +3.7% weekly dollars; strong growth in wine-based...

Regulation & Policy Federal clampdown on intoxicating hemp cannabinoids sets up a major 2026 reset; FDA guidance due within 90 days. California launches a 2026 craft distillery DTC pilot, offering a key release valve for oversupply. Airports, airlines, and municipalities tighten alcohol service norms; litigation highlights labeling and pricing scrutiny. Market Performance U.S. spirits decelera...

Show notes • Hemp THC crackdown • Congress passes language that effectively removes most high THC hemp drinks from legal commerce within about a year, with strict total THC caps per container. • State attorneys general, alcohol trade groups and ongoing litigation increase compliance and portfolio risk for distributors and retailers carrying hemp beverages. • Demand and consumer backdrop • Consumer...

Market pulse Beer BPI at 24, 11 months of contraction. Q3 on-premise: draft –1.8%, packaged –5.1%. Off-premise week ending Oct 26: TBA –5.5% YoY; beer –7.2%, wine –4.5%, spirits flat. Premixed cocktails +34%. September domestic beer shipments +1% YoY, but YTD –5.1%. Share movers and bright spots Draft leaders: Michelob Ultra, Miller Lite, Coors Light, Modelo Especial, Bud Light. Gainers: Pacifico,...

At-home shift widens: Alcohol-at-home +0.3% vs away-from-home +4.1% YoY; on-premise traffic and velocity remain pressured. Beer reset: Category volumes down; fall price hikes muted. AB InBev gains share via Ultra/Busch Light; others softer. Spirits bifurcation: Prepared cocktails and agave hold up; core spirits ex-RTD contract; promo depth rises to chase value shoppers. Wine still correcting: Reta...

The US beverage alcohol industry faces its most dramatic transformation in decades. Consumer participation hit record lows, major suppliers are slashing forecasts and workforces, yet clear winners emerge: non-alcoholic beverages up 22%, RTDs becoming the growth engine, and hemp-derived THC drinks creating new competition. We break down October 2025 market data to understand what's really happening...

Market pulse: Bevalc dollars down, beer & wine weakest; spirits growth concentrated in RTDs; NA beer resilient; ABI steady share; Modelo cools. Moderation & value: Only ~54% of adults drink; shoppers gravitate to sub-$20 and trimmed craft lineups. RTDs surge: RTD share +420 bps YoY; Cutwater standout; core spirits soften on price/mix. THC beverages: Target MN pilot launches; Ohio pauses in...

US Market Intelligence | Oct 6–10, 2025 Beer demand stays soft (BPI 28) while value tiers and FMBs hold up. Whiskey faces mounting stress—Uncle Nearest enters receivership—though potential Scotch tariff relief could lift holidays. Prosecco leads sparkling growth. The TTB shutdown freezes approvals, and hemp rules tighten across key states. Cargo thefts rise, copacker closures hit production, and G...

In this week’s U.S. beverage industry audio brief, we cover the critical developments shaping the alcohol market as Q4 begins: Category Trends : Spirits and wine continue to cool, while beer marks its tenth straight monthly shipment decline. RTDs and select imports shine as bright spots. Consumer Signals : Costco’s comps slow, renewal rates dip, and University of Michigan sentiment plunges — refle...

This week’s beverage alcohol industry update covers the shifting dynamics across beer, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drinks as U.S. consumers lean into value, convenience, and premium light options. Key highlights from September 22–26, 2025: 📉 Category trends : Beer volumes slide despite NFL kickoff; spirits growth cools, while RTDs and cider outperform. 🥤 RTD momentum : Spirits-based cocktails +2...

In this episode, we unpack the September 2025 state of the U.S. beverage market, where mixed signals are the new normal. We'll explore the paradox of craft beer , which is struggling in its traditional grocery channel but finding surprising growth in convenience stores. Discover which brands like New Belgium's Voodoo Ranger and Sierra Nevada's Hazy Little Thing are thriving and how strategic price...