Beer Marketer's Insights
Count Allagash as the latest large craft brewer experimenting with non-alc bevs. Tho it's just dipping a toe in to start with taproom-only release of new Allagash Hop Water in 6pks of 12oz cans. It'll be available exclusively at co's Portland, Maine tasting room beginning this wk, marking the brewer's entry into the "rapidly growing area of hop waters," per announcement. Allagash Hop Water uses water from Sebago Lake and is brewed with orange peel, Citra and Crystal hops as a nod to the flavor profile of co's flagship witbier.
While beer sales remain soft in tracked on-premise channels, craft beer is outperforming other segments, reclaiming its position as #1 beer segment by $$, according to CGA data. Total beer $$ sales declined 3% for the last 52 wks thru Apr 20, CGA shared with CBN. Yet craft gained 0.1 pts to 29.1 share of beer $$ while domestic premium shed 1 pt to 28.4.
All Cannabis All the Time: MA Saga Explained; Other Emerging Issues: Cyber Threats, Drink Spiking
At this point, can't quite call cannabis an "emerging" issue. It's here. It's everywhere. All the time. And the "growing influence of cannabis" requires more attention from alc bev regulators and legal specialists, as atty Richard Blau commented during last wk's Natl Conference of State Liquor Admins mtg. Riffing on expansion of Tilray in beer and the newsy advance of small Green Thumb amidst Boston Beer M&A scuttlebutt, Richard wondered aloud about "this marriage, this confluence" of alcohol & cannabis, finding that "not everybody" thinks "it would be a happy marriage."
Among consumers who plan to purchase alcohol for July 4 Independence Day holiday, 75% plan to buy beer, according to Numerator's latest Holiday Preview survey of over 5,500 consumers. That's well ahead of other alc bev categories, including "spirits or spirit-based drinks (40%), wine (38%), and hard seltzers or canned cocktails (35%)." Tho 51% of consumers in the northeast plan to purchase wine, and 17% of consumers in the west plan to buy champagne or sparkling wine, "twice as likely" as the natl avg (8%), Numerator noted.
Stella's Loaded for The Bear This Summer as Trends Improved but Still Dipped in Latest Scans
As season 3 of The Bear is set to debut tomorrow (Jun 26), AB's Stella Artois "is returning for its starring role at the dinner table," co announced this morn. Building on initial partnership last season, before each episode this yr and "exclusively on Hulu," fans will be able to "view custom content by Stella Artois featuring Sweeps (Corey Hendrix) and Sugar (Abby Elliott), with the actors discussing their experience and memories while filming the show." Segment called "A Beer With The Bear" has two 60-second spots for starters, showcasing the actors talking about Chicago's food scene and the creativity & cooking in everyday restaurants while drinking Stellas.
Beer volume down just 0.5% in week thru Jun 16 in Circana multi-outlet + convenience data. That followed a 1.5% drop the week before but a 5.7% drop in week ending Jun 2. So coming out of a softer Memorial Day period, beer has picked up a bit. "Beer showing a bit more strength as we start to approach the July 4th holiday," said Circana EVP Scott Scanlon, "with Modelo and Pacifico continuing to outshine."
Building on its multi-year commitment to ensure online alcohol marketing doesn't reach underage youth, global producer org the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking announced expanded partnerships with six companies behind the largest social media platforms. IARD first partnered with the likes of Google, Meta and more in 2018, building in additional safeguards to self-regulatory marketing codes and setting new standards for influencer marketing in the years since. This month, new transparency reports from major digital platforms explained steps each takes to keep alcohol marketing away from youth.
Setting alcohol policy is often viewed as a "tug of war" between the public interest and business interests. But is such a "binary" frame accurate or helpful? Probably not, suggested panelists at last week's annual regulator meeting by the Natl Conference of State Liquor Admins. Binaries can be "useful as an analytical tool," but "life and reality is far, far more complicated than that," genl counsel for the Brewers Assn Marc Sorini reminded. There's not just one set of opposing forces but "a lot of different tensions there," California ABC genl counsel Matt Botting added.
We are pleased to announce our 30th Annual Beer Insights Seminar in New York City, with a reception on Sunday evening Nov 17 and program all day Monday, November 18. The Seminar will take place at the Harmonie Club, one of NYC's most-storied private clubs founded in 1852. Fittingly for our 30th anniversary, we will bring you a fantastic program.
Topo Chico Hard Seltzer Partners with Airstream for "Stayman Islands" Vacation Prize & More
MC formed a unique partnership and vacation giveaway for Topo Chico hard seltzer with Airstream, the increasingly popular travel trailer. Consumers have a chance to win the "Stayman Islands experience," a new take on "staycation" (vacation at home). Stayman Islands brings a private Airstream to folks' back or front yard and provides atmosphere, amenities and activities like "genuine sun-drenched sand," massages, a "chef-curated dinner," live music and a steady supply of Topo Chico hard seltzer, of course. Fans can sign up now thru July 8 for a chance to win. And this is "part of a larger partnership between Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and Airstream" this summer, planning "various outdoor-focused and adventure-forward offerings, including a retail sweepstakes" and "social sweepstakes" too.