The latest monthly report from Circana reveals that craft dollar sales turned positive at c-stores in November. Insiders are digging into those trends, as well as the segment’s continued declines at grocery and other aspects of craft’s top 30 brands’ retail performance.

Insiders are also reading more about these topics on Brewbound.com and in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter:

• Weekly scan data took an expected post-Thanksgiving dive, but beer could “perk up” before the end of the year, per Circana EVP of BevAl Scott Scanlon;
• President Trump is mulling rescheduling marijuana;
• Sun Cruiser taps a WNBA star for a new campaign;
• Pabst Brewing claps back at a potential class action lawsuit. 

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Craft beer’s grocery losses continued to accelerate in November, according to the latest monthly report from market research firm Circana.

The segment recorded high-single-digit declines in dollar sales (-8.2%) and volume (-9%) at grocery stores in the 4-week period (L4W) ending November 30, Circana reported. Those losses mark an acceleration from the prior L4W period (ending November 2), when craft dollar sales declined 7.8% and volume dipped 8.4% at grocery stores. 

The L4W through November 30 have flipped craft’s performance in the convenience channel, where it grew dollar sales (+2%) and was flat in volume. Those gains were not enough to offset losses in the multi-outlet grocery, mass retail and c-stores (MULO+C) geography, where craft declined in both dollar sales (-4.7%) and volume (-6.2%) in the L4W.

Craft over-indexes in grocery stores, and the segment’s decline in that channel have been a drag on performance all year. Grocery stores account for about 54% of craft’s YTD dollar sales, while c-stores account for 36%, according to Circana data. YTD, craft’s dollars have declined 4.6% and volume has declined 6.1% in MULO+C.

Insiders can dig into more top 30 stats, as well as changes in average case price and style share by channel. 

Total bev-alc dollar sales fell 23% WoW in an expected post-Thankgiving dive, Circana EVP, BevAl Scott Scanlon shared in the market research firm’s latest week report (data ending December 7). 

YoY, bev-alc dollar sales were down 1.8% in Circana-tracked off-premise channels, while volume, measured in case sales, fell 2.9%. The latest figures were in-line with YoY in the previous week (dollar sales -1.9%, volume -2.8%), which included Thanksgiving.

Insiders can read more, including weekly performances for beer, wine and spirits and top beer and RTD brand families.

Sycamore Brewing co-founder Justin Brigham may be divesting of the company, but industry members are not separating him and his legal charges from the Charlotte, NC-based brewery so quickly. 

As reported last week, Brigman was arrested on charges of statutory rape of a child by an adult, first degree burlgary and indecent liberties with a child by the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, December 11.

Sycamore owner and co-founder Sarah Taylor, who is also Brigham’s wife, took to Instagram Friday to announce Brigham would divest of “all of his interest” and have “no further involvement” with the company, effectively immediately.

Numerous bars and restaurants have since taken to social media to express outcry over Brigham’s actions and announce the removal of Sycamore beers from their offerings. 

Insiders can read more about how local businesses are responding, as well the latest statement from Sycamore, here.

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