Today, you’re getting a free taste of what it’s like to be a Brewbound Insider – no paid subscription required – with free access to Today’s Top Story examining craft’s performance in Circana’s latest monthly report. 

Brewbound Insiders (and YOU) are getting a preview of how craft performed last month and YTD, including brand performance. 

Check it out below:

C-stores remained a lone bright spot for craft in the latest monthly report from Circana.

YTD through April 19, craft dollar sales at c-stores increased 3.2%, while volume increased 0.9%. Those trends decelerated slightly in the L4W, with dollars up 2.7% YoY and volume up 0.5%. 

The segment outpaced the overall beer category in all metrics. Total beer dollar sales increased 1.8% (volume -0.4%) YTD and +1.1% (volume -1.1%) in the L4W.

The script is flipped in grocery stores, as well as MULO+C, with craft trailing the overall beer category. 

At grocery stores – where craft overindexes – craft recorded dollar sales (-3%) and volume (-4%) declines YTD that accelerated in the L4W (dollars -5.1%, volume -5.6%). Total beer was also in the red in all 4 metrics: YTD dollars -0.4%, volume -1.3%; L4W dollars -2.2%, volume -2.8%.

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Plus, recaps of earnings reports from Diageo and Monster, notes from Wall Street on the state of hard seltzer, Teamsters strikes at 2 Breakthru locations and A-B’s CMO on how young adulthood has changed, particularly with regard to alcohol consumption.

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RNDC continues to unwind, so BevNET spirits editor Ferron Salniker joined the Brewbound Podcast to break down the latest.

RNDC, once the country’s 2nd-largest wine and spirits distributor, has been selling-off markets piecemeal to competitors from coast to coast. The distributor’s current state can be traced to the butterfly effect of a host of suppliers leaving its CA operations over the last several years, resulting in the company exiting the state.

The episode also features conversations with Eco Beverages co-founder Anna Nadasdy and Russian River Brewing co-owner Natalie Cilurzo. Nadasdy discussed the complexities of navigating Extended Producer Responsibility laws, while Cilurzao recapped the latest Pliny the Younger launch.

Listen here

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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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