Anheuser-Busch – Keep It Overproof!

Distribs Across the Country Share Best Practices

Dear Client: We’ve talked to a ton of distributors over the past week to get a feel for how they’re adapting in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. One common theme, no matter the person’s time in the beer industry, “I’ve never seen anything like this.” One distributor described it to me as, “It’s like flying a 747 right above the treeline. You’ll probably be okay, but you can’t make any mistakes.” We are truly in uncharted waters. So with essentially every wholesaler learning on the fly right now, we figured it would...

On-Premise Closed for Business

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: The on-premise is now shut down in more than half the states in the U.S. In our latest tally, we identified 28 states that have ordered bars and restaurants to shutter. Here’s what the updated list looks like: California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida (bars, nightclubs shut down, but restaurants can still operate for now at 50% capacity) Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Utah* Vermont Washington West Virginia Wisconsin AND...

Michigan Summons A-B to Testify at Hearing

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: Yesterday we brought you news that Anheuser-Busch was allegedly running afoul of newly passed laws in Michigan under the Distributor Independence Act. That Act, passed last fall, basically prohibits suppliers from making onerous demands or prohibitions on their distributors. Now, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission is involved. Yesterday it issued a “show cause” … Continue reading “Michigan Summons A-B to Testify at Hearing” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

Constellation Not Throwing Spaghetti Against the Wall

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: There’s a reason Constellation has the most efficient velocity growth per SKU: No spaghetti against the wall. After attending Anheuser-Busch’s and Molson Coors’ distributor meetings earlier this year, we wondered whether Constellation would unveil some splashy innovations at their Gold Network Summit too. They did not. A higher ABV line extension of Corona … Continue reading “Constellation Not Throwing Spaghetti Against the Wall” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

A-B Depletions “Flattish” in Q4

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: Anheuser-Busch InBev delivered fourth quarter and full year results this morning for 2019, and we have all the highlights for you. In the U.S., A-B depletions were “flattish” in the fourth quarter. That’s a significant improvement over last quarter, down 3.5% in Q3, but running behind the industry depletion wide trend for the … Continue reading “A-B Depletions “Flattish” in Q4” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

What’s Up Stella’s Sleeve in 2020?

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: Could Anheuser-Busch’s largest import, Stella Artois, soon see a return to its days of double-digit growth? A-B’s VP of Premium/Super Premium Brands, Peter Van Overstraeten, believes it’s possible. Here’s why. Recall the brand has had a rough go of it the past couple years. After posting double digit gains in 2017, the brand … Continue reading “What’s Up Stella’s Sleeve in 2020?” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

Bud Light Seltzer Seizes 11 Share of Seltzer in Three Weeks’ Time

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: Anheuser-Busch’s chief marketer Marcel Marcondes hit up the BBD Bat Phone yesterday to give us a behind the scenes look at all the Super Bowl results they have compiled over the last week. We know what you’re thinking – ‘tell me all about the Super Bowl metrics later… I want to know how … Continue reading “Bud Light Seltzer Seizes 11 Share of Seltzer in Three Weeks’ Time” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

Top drinks marketing campaigns and news in January

Posted in Beer, Spirits, Wine.

Diageo launches Seedlip’s first ad campaign Drinks giant Diageo has led the fight to keep sales buoyant during January by launching its first advertising campaigns in the UK and US for non-alcoholic ‘spirit’ brand Seedlip. It is the first time that Diageo has set up an ad campaign for Seedlip, after upping its investment in the popular non-alcoholic brand to a ‘significant’ majority stake in August 2019. Developed by Seedlip’s EU marketing director, Ben Thomson, alongside creative agency And Rising, it features the strapline: ‘Drink to the Future’,...

A-B Depletions Down 3.5% In Q3

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: Anheuser-Busch InBev delivered third quarter results this morning, and as usual BBD was up bright and early to bring you the highlights. In the U.S., A-B depletions were down 3.5% in the quarter. That’s better than last quarter for the brewer, down 4% in Q2, but still a bit worse than the industry … Continue reading “A-B Depletions Down 3.5% In Q3” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

A-B Accuses MillerCoors of Trade Secret Meddling in CornGate Counterclaim

Posted in Beer, Industry.

Dear Client: A huge twist in CornGate. Anheuser-Busch has filed a counterclaim today that asserts several civil claims against MillerCoors, mainly accusing MillerCoors of coming into possession of their trade secrets, including recipes for Bud Light and Michelob Ultra. A-B claims in today’s filing that MillerCoors obtained this information through one of its brewers at … Continue reading “A-B Accuses MillerCoors of Trade Secret Meddling in CornGate Counterclaim” You are unauthorized to view this page. Read the full article

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