These are turbulent times in the beer industry and, for the craft beer business, there are two very different narratives these days. On one hand, we now have almost 10,000 breweries in America vs. less than 50 in the late 1980s. Conversely, after nearly a decade of double-digit annual growth, U.S. craft beer has grown at a paltry rate of …
The U.S. wine business has been making a lot of news lately, but for many of the wrong reasons. A report shows that wine consumption is only showing growth among American customers over the age of 60. Overall, the volume of wine sold in the U.S. has contracted for the second straight year and, with a possible recession looming, …
Beer tax collections in N.C. were down 1.85% during calendar year 2022, but that doesn’t t ell the full story. Beer tax collections are a basic tool to help determine sales by volume, and we track those monthly numbers on our web site. During the two peak years of the pandemic (2020 and 2021), beer tax dollars rose—2.8% in …
The U.S. Supreme Court will not review the case of B-21 Wines v. Bauer, a challenge to North Carolina’s prohibition on interstate retailer shipments of wine. With the high court’s electing not to review the case, the earlier decision by the 4th Circuit of Appeals upholding North Carolina’s alcohol law stands. Case Background B-21 Wines is a Florida retailer. North …
My, my, how times have changed! According to NielsenIQ, the off-premise for craft beer is now being dominated by cans. Yes, 12 or 16-ounce aluminum cans! The current share for craft cans is 63.4 percent with bottles picking up the remaining 36.6 percent. It was just four years ago that those numbers were essentially reversed: 33.5 percent for craft …
It’s a fast-changing world in the alcohol business but beer remains the industry leader in consumer preference and alcohol consumption per capita. For the third straight year, beer sales by volume have shown a modest increase. Beer tax collections in N.C. were up 0.63% through November and U.S. sales growth was up 1.5% in 2021, according to Beer Marketer’s INSIGHTS. …
What’s Hot, What’s Not in Beer & Wine When we hit the middle of March last year, everything changed for the beer and wine business. Restaurants and bars closed, and then some reopened under serious restrictions. Events were cancelled, starting with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, followed by beer festivals, sporting events and music concerts. Beer wholesalers led the way …
Across the country, COVID-19’s impact on the beverage alcohol industry has been overwhelming since mid-March of 2020. From on-premise shutdowns to supply chain challenges, the beer market continues to see significant disruptions. Less draft beer When on-premise licensees were forced to close their doors, brewers, distributors and retailers around the U.S. were left grappling with what do to with the untapped …
By Catherine Muccigrosso (Courtesy: Charlotte Observer) Some North Carolina beer and wine distributors are lending a hand to help stock grocery and food pantry shelves amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. With the approval of the state ABC Commission, the NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers and NC Retail Merchants associations are teaming up to help the supply chain. “It’s a difficult time in the supply …
As you deal with the fallout from the COVID-19 crisis, it’s always a good thing to talk about beer. Here are some tidbits about the business you may not know: Modelo Especial is now the number four beer in America and, before long, it could be number two. The Mexican import has grown rapidly in recent years and is now …