Super Bowl scans are in and while YoY comps were negative, trends are still worth celebrating, according to Circana EVP of BevAl Scott Scanlon in his latest weekly report. 

In Today’s Top Story, Insiders are diving into which categories, segments and top brands benefited most from the big game, along with Scanlon’s predictions for the year ahead, and what’s driving his positivity. 

In today’s Brewbound Insider Newsletter and on Brewbound.com, Insiders are also reading about:

• How rapidly distributors’ portfolios are changing;

• A whistleblower lawsuit against a KY bourbon company;

• Why hemp industry members are in a “hurry up and wait” mode;

• A Q1 supply chain check in from Agrowgate, exclusive to Brewbound;

• And new hard tea/lemonade flavors from Stateside’s Surfside. 

Insiders also have access to the Brewbound Newsletter Archive, including previous newsletter-exclusive Insider content.

Become a Brewbound Insider today!

Or, be in the know on all food and beverage news from Brewbound, BevNET and NOSH with Insider All Access.

From formulation and stability to scaling for production, this free guide breaks down how to scale a cannabis beverage. Learn more

Super Bowl LX bev-alc sales failed to surpass 2025 levels, but the trends aren’t as bad as they may seem on the surface, Circana EVP of BevAl Scott Scanlon reported with the latest off-premise scans. 

Total bev-alc dollar sales for the week-ending February 8 – including Super Bowl weekend – declined 1.4% YoY, while volume, measured in case sales, fell 3.8%. 

“For those disappointed the Super Bowl did not deliver positive comps one needs to consider the data is off from last year by less than 1 1/2%, up nearly 11% vs last week’s data, and last year’s Super Bowl ’25 was -4% vs ’24, so relatively speaking, (-1.5) not so bad this year,” Scanlon wrote.

Dive deeper into the data

Distributors expect beer to be a smaller part of their portfolios in the next 5 years, according to the NBWA’s fall survey of 161 distributors. 

Beer accounted for 76% of surveyed distributors’ portfolios in 2025, NBWA chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones shared during a webinar last week with Jefferies analyst Kaumil Gajrawala. That number is expected to drop to 67% of their total portfolios in the next 5 years.

Distributors are filling the gaps with a variety of other products, the survey found. Those moves are increasing in importance due to beer losing retail shelf space to other bev-alc and NA beverage types.

Keep reading 

Go deeper: Oversupply and Oversaturation: Bev-Alc Needs to Stop Blaming Consumers and Look Inward, per Lester Jones

The future of hemp beverages remains in flux as potential legislative bills circulate on Capitol Hill, but for suppliers and distributors in the space, keeping up with demand has been business as usual. Almost.

Cannabis emulsion companies and beverage distributors are taking a more discerning look at client lists and portfolio offerings to hedge their respective businesses against the various outcomes that might occur before the new restrictions around cannabinoids take effect in November.

What is sometimes lost in the discussions about intoxicating hemp drinks is their place within a bigger ecosystem that includes vapes, edibles and other form factors, said Michael Adair, Kentucky Farmed co-founder and FM Labs sales director.

Check out other perspectives

The former VP of human resources at Bardstown Bourbon Company has filed a whistleblower lawsuit alleging discrimination, retaliation and broader workplace misconduct at the prominent KY-based whiskey producer.

The lawsuit, filed February 13 in Nelson County, KY, was brought by Sylvia E. Sanders against Bardstown and president Peter Marino, parent company Lofted Spirits and CEO Mark Erwin, private equity owner Pritzker Private Capital Investment Partners and operating partner Christian Brickman.

Sanders, who served in the HR leadership role for 5 years, alleges she was terminated in May 2024 after reporting “illegal, unethical, discriminatory and improper conduct” by the defendants.

In a statement, Bardstown called the claims “without merit” and said it will “vigorously defend ourselves.’

Read more

Taste Radio is hosting its first meetup of the year on Wednesday, February 18 (5:00–7:30 PM ET) in Miami, featuring live podcast recordings and industry networking across food, beverage, beer, and beyond. Brewers, distributors, and bev-alc operators are invited to connect with peers in a relaxed setting. 

Spots are limited — RSVP now

After years of whiplash across global supply chains, Q1 2026 presents a different challenge: stability on the surface, uncertainty underneath. 

In Agrowgate’s latest Supply Chain Snapshot, macro indicators suggest improved crop yields, moderating inflationary pressure and stable logistics conditions – but pricing signals across key inputs tell a more nuanced story of elevated aluminum markets, shifting freight dynamics and softening paper demand.

Insiders can view the full version here 

Not an Insider? Sign up to read this and many more reports from our expert data partners.

Surfside, the spirits-based iced tea category leader, is launching 4 new flavors as the brand continues its rise from a Northeast favorite to national RTD powerhouse.

The new offerings include Surfside Blueberry Lemonade and a Half & Half variety 8-pack featuring 3 new flavors alongside the brand's original Half & Half iced tea and lemonade. 

Unlock the full story with Brewbound Insider

The latest joining of craft brewing forces occurred in Bend, OR last week.

Crux Fermentation Project, Cascade Lakes Brewing, Silver Moon Brewing, GoodLife Brewing and Tumalo Cider Co. – all companies with operations in Bend – have formed the Oregon Beverage Collective (OBC). 

Cascade Lakes co-owner Andy Rhine will serve as OBC president, while Silver Moon Brewing owner Steve Augustyn will serve as CEO.

In addition to the formation of the collective, the companies announced that the Rhine family has acquired Crux Fermentation Project from Larry Sidor and Paul Evers, who founded the brewery in 2012. 

Read more from the collective

Craving more? 👉 See what Insider members get access to.

Have feedback? 📝 Take the Survey Now >>

Want to share news or tips? ✉️ Submit a press release or reach out to news@brewbound.com.

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). 

We'll be back in your inbox tomorrow.