As slight slowdowns heighten investor scrutiny, Morgan Stanley's Dara Mohsenian now believes a "miss is likely" for Constellation's fiscal Q1 (Mar-May). Tho still overweight on the stock long term, short-term situation "more nuanced," with "potentially lingering weaker consumer spending" on beer and bevs, including STZ, and difficult upcoming summer comps in scans, he wrote in recent report.

Deal speculation for Boston Beer is getting stranger as Wall Street Journal dropped an odd wrinkle yesterday. Ben Kovler, CEO of Green Thumb Industries, a publicly traded cannabis CPG company that did $1 bil in revs in 2023, reportedly sent a letter to Boston Beer founder Jim Koch "seeking to discuss a potential combination," WSJ wrote. It's latest example of cannabis cos seeking to move in on established CPG cos, most notably Tilray Brands in recent years via its acquisitions of scads of craft brewers, distiller, Manitoba Hemp and other entities. Of course, WSJ just earlier had created a stir with report that Suntory was in early talks on combo with SAM, which both cos denied.

Pepsi CMO Todd Kaplan is leaving soft drink giant for outside opportunity after 17 years there, exec disclosed in LinkedIn post. Kaplan had ascended to that post only in 2022 and oversaw radical rebranding of core cola, tho he also saw fast-growing Dr Pepper brand tie it for #2 spot among soft drink trademarks, per latest Bev Digest tally. No word yet on who'll replace exec, nor on what his destination is.

Is Foxtrot about to rise phoenix-like from ashes of its bankruptcy? That’s what signs are pointing to as Further Point Enterprises, which acquired its non-real-estate assets for $2.2 mil, enters into lease agreements for 6 of sites where Foxtrot operated its cutting-edge c-stores. News was reported by C-Store Dive and local outlets that spotted May 31 court filing with US Bankruptcy Court for District of Delaware, tho the accounts cautioned that filings don’t make it clear what specifically Further Point is planning. Development occurred as Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee for Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen parent Outfox Hospitality has been seeking court approval to terminate all the retailer’s unexpired leases. As C-Store Dive recounted, the bankruptcy auction was controversial, “completely ramrodded” in words of one participant and confined to 15 locations, not full footprint. The 6 locations that Further Point is reentering – whether to revive Foxtrot brand or for other purposes – were among those 15, in nabes like Old Town, Wicker Park, Gold Coast and Fulton Market. In keeping with abrupt demise of chain, C-Store Dive inspection of some locations revealed perishable items still stocked on shelves, while some sites were marred by trash and graffiti.

As summer Olympics returns to Paris for first time in a century, media coverage is amping up and highlighting again that Anheuser-Busch InBev’s using non-alc Corona Cero as the official global beer sponsor. Time and Bloomberg both noted increase in sports sponsorship doors that non-alc beers open, tho non-alc sports sponsorships “isn’t a new thing,” reminded Bloomberg. Heineken 0.0 has teamed with Formula 1; Diageo’s Guinness 0.0 with Six Nations rugby tournament and last yr Carlsberg handed out 400K cans of French non-alc Tourtel Twist at Tour de France. (Going further back, Germany’s Clausthaler sponsored road races in US, we can also recall.) Still, “alcohol and sport has always had an odd relationship,” wrote Bloomberg. While beer brands are long-time sponsors in US pro sports leagues, “alcohol has long been banned inside UK football stadiums over fears of acting as catalyst for violence.” Just last week, rowdy drinking spectators at the usually quiet French Open forced organizers to stop serving alcohol in the stands. So as non-alc beers garner more interest from younger drinkers, opportunities could open in venues where soda and water suppliers were only game in town.

“By opting to use non-alcoholic versions of their top-selling beers for sports partnerships, the big brewers get to enjoy the halo effect of pushing a healthier alternative, while benefitting from the extra brand awareness for the full-strength versions,” wrote Bloomberg. “It also allows firms to swerve increasingly tight restrictions around alcohol advertising.”  

Not Illegal but Are Mocktails for Kids ‘Problematic Financially, Ethically or For Health Reasons’? NY Times Asks; Atlantic Weighs in Too  Nominally, non-alcoholic beers and other alc-alternatives should be open to consumers of any age to drink. They contain no alcohol, right? But most alc-alternative purveyors age-gate access to their websites to legal-age consumers, and lately debate is mounting over whether the products might serve as training wheels for teens into alc consumption lifestyle.

“As nonalcoholic cocktails, wines and beers have become staples on bar menus across America, some children — people way under the legal drinking age — have begun to partake,” as NY Times noted in survey of trend last month. Tho that’s not illegal, “parents and hospitality professionals alike are asking whether this trend is problematic anyway — financially, ethically or for health reasons.”

Atlantic mag addressed issue earlier this spring with story headlined, “The Sober-Curious Movement Has Reached an Impasse.” Subhead added: “No one can decide on the drinking age for ‘adult’ drinks that don’t contain alcohol.”

Among tradeoffs, some parents believe that access to mocktails and other alc-alternatives has benefit of demystifying drinking for kids, lessening the chance they’ll overindulge once they get access to alcohol, as Times noted. “I kind of hope that drinking these nonalcoholic cocktails will make them not be as rebellious when they are 14 and 15,” says one pediatric physical therapist who allows her kids to drink craft sodas at breweries and NA wines at wineries. But a psychologist who works with teens is skeptical. “The majority of kids are going to drink. I don’t think giving kids mocktails is what is going to make or break them,” she told Times.

Restaurant operators view trading kids up to sophisticated mocktails and the like as “easy money on the table,” in words of one, but make various distinctions. Operator of Granola restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side argues that her mocktails made with craft sodas and juices are acceptable for high schoolers who come in but not those made with NA spirits that overtly mimic adult cocktails.

As noted, pricing is an issue. “The kids are like, ‘We want a virgin mojito or a virgin piña colada, and the next thing you know I am paying $18 for each,” said a NJ-based children’s book marketer. “What happened to the Shirley Temple for $3.50?”

Under its new sales chief Christie Koerner, Aussie craft soda Bundaberg is extending into sparkling lemonade sector following what it says was successful test at US club store. Bundaberg Brewed Sparkling Lemonade is made with Australian Eureka lemons and cane sugar and is packed in 4-packs of of co’s distinctive 12.7-ounce stubby glass bottle with ring-pull rip-cap. After popping up quietly last year at Costco stores in markets like Colo and Calif, per consumer comments we’ve spotted, expansion will focus on western markets where co says its Ginger Beer has surged to #1 player, with launch partners that include regional Albertsons/Safeway stores, along with Amazon and Costco. Later this year, the line will enter Mexico. It represents first major initiative under Koerner, a 13-yr Gallo vet who joined co earlier this year as head of sales for N Amer.

Celebs and creators can’t stop themselves from launching new coffee brands. This week it’s actress and producer Sofia Vergara, drawing on her Colombian roots with line called ¡Dios Mio! – tho the launch actually seems to be stealth effort by Colombian growers to generate an extra hit of relevance. New brand is partnership with country’s National Federation of Coffee Growers that emphasizes the 30% of Colombian growers who are women. New line is intended to “evoke the traditions and flavors of the country while celebrating the female coffee growers behind the brand.” It debuts in trio of blends: a light roast dubbed Sweetness, medium roast dubbed Balance and dark roast dubbed Strength. They’re breaking in Walmart in whole bean and ground versions, at premium price of $14.99 per 12-oz bag or $34.70 per 42-oz bag. Also available are K-Cups at $19.99 per 22 pods and Nespresso pods at $34.70 per 40 capsules. Graphics feature image of a woman in lush tropical setting filled with colorful birds and a monkey (either she’s intended to be Vergara herself, or maybe it’s customary for the growers to wear bikinis when they harvest the fruit). Bottom of pack features slogan, “With love, Sofia Vergara. The coffee of my dreams.”

To mark its 180th anniversary, Pabst Blue Ribbon rolled out a 180-pack today at select locations nationwide for a limited time. "Befitting of an American icon, that doesn't take itself too seriously, regardless of the occasion, the 180 pack is big! Designed to be enjoyed responsibly by groups, Pabst Blue Ribbons 180 pack is stacked full of opportunities to celebrate and toast a beer with friends," said co. As a Food Network report recalled, Pabst likes to go big for big occasions. PBR put out a 99-pack for its 175th anniversary, then in 2021 put out a whopping 1,776-pack to celebrate Independence Day and an even bigger 1,844-pack a yr later to celebrate its founding yr.