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Spirits-based RTD brand Cutwater (Anheuser-Busch InBev) was far and away the largest contributor to overall bev-alc growth in Q2, according to the latest monthly report from insights firm Bump Williams Consulting (BWC). 

Cutwater outpaced sales growth for any other beer, wine, spirits or RTD brand family in the L13W ending June 20, adding $113.4 million in sales, according to NIQ off-premise data shared by BWC. 

A Malt Problem: FMBs are leading sales losses among RTDs. 18 of the top 20 “loss leaders” across the category, ranked by absolute dollars shed in the L13W, were FMBs or hard seltzers.

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Brewbound Insiders have full access to even more beyond Today’s Top Story on Brewbound.com, including:

• Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits to Cut 1% of Workforce

• Reyes to Add Sazerac's Traditional Spirits & RTD Portfolio in Colorado

• May Beer Supply Slips Back Into Red as Consumers’ Wallets Tighten, per the Beer Institute

• YTD 2026 Beverage Performance and Trends – 3Tier Beverages via NIQ

Plus, the Brewbound Insider Newsletter has even more, including details on layoffs affecting RNDC’s AK operations.

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Brewbound Live will return to L.A. this December 9 & 10. The conference for beverage-alcohol professionals will feature 2 packed days of insights, conversations and networking at the Marina del Rey Marriott.

This Year's Keynote: Allagash Brewing Company founder Rob Tod and VP of human resources & organizational development Celine Frueh will give this year’s keynote address.

Crafting Company Culture: The duo will share how the Portland, ME-headquartered craft brewery has created and nurtured a company culture that is the envy of the industry. They'll explain how investing in and staying true to its culture has been a foundational piece in building Allagash into a top 20 craft brewery.

Tickets are available now for the gathering of founders, entrepreneurs, sales leaders, marketers, c-suite executives, retailers, distributors and suppliers from across the industry.

Register today

The end of Deschutes Brewery’s partnership with Costco may have come as a surprise to the general public, but the Bend, OR-headquartered craft brewery and its key partners were planning for this “off-ramp moment,” CEO Peter Skrbek told Brewbound. 

Skrbek announced the winding down of the partnership in a distributor memo last week, and with it, the discontinuation of Kirkland Signature Helles Lager and Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale by the end of 2026.  

Although Helles’ future is uncertain, Skrbek sees “multiple paths” forward for the beer and appears determined to keep it alive in some form. 

Keep reading for more on the path forward, including big growth for Boneyard, non-alc Fresh Squeezed’s crossover appeal and FMB Party Bomb’s philosophical shakeup.

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Interested in other beverage coverage? 👀 Check out the BevNET Daily Briefing covering the broader beverage industry, including energy drinks, cannabis and other non-alcoholic beverages. Want to stick to the hard stuff? Subscribe to our Spirits Newsletter (published every 2 weeks). 

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