Insiders are diving into ready-to-drink (RTD) trends in the on-premise, as well as how the segment stacks up against other bev-alc in terms of value and consumer excitement. 

The report also includes details on on-premise visitations in November and December, and consumer expectations for on-premise spending in 2025. 

In today’s newsletter, Insiders are also: 

• Getting an update on New Belgium’s Asheville brewery and taproom;
• And checking out new non-alcoholic cocktail-inspired brews from Athletic Brewing.

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

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

One-quarter of consumers who have visited the on-premise in the past three months have ordered a ready-to-drink cocktail (RTD) during that time, according to CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NIQ. 

CGA defines RTDs as “a drink that has been pre-mixed and is ready for consumption when it is delivered to the venue, without the venue having to add any ingredients.” Included in that definition are pre-mixed cocktails (draft and canned), pre-mixed spirits and mixers and hard seltzers and hard sodas with various alcohol bases. 

The percentage of consumers who have had RTDs in the on-premise recently is even higher with younger consumers. More than two-in-five consumers (41%) aged 21-34 have ordered an RTD in the last three months, while 34% of 35- to 54-year-olds have. The total percentage is skewed by the oldest demographic, with only 8% of consumers 55 and older ordering an RTD in the period. 

Insiders can read more, including how satisfied consumers are with the value and excitement of different bev-alc purchases, how often consumers plan to visit the on-premise through the end of the year and how consumers prefer bars and restaurants to respond to rising costs.

This week’s Brewbound Podcast will recap the Brewbound Live business conference. Jess, Zoe and Justin share highlights from this year’s conference in Marina del Rey, California, and catch up on the latest news bits.

Plus, the last full week of 2024 is shaping up to be a busy news week. The Brewers Association will host a webinar Thursday with “10 Points and Predictions for 2025,” featuring VP of strategy and analytics Bart Watson and staff economist Matt Gacioch. Look for coverage by Friday. 

It was a big week of news for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as commissioner Lina Khan prepares to wind down her tenure. 

First, the long-awaited Kroger-Albertsons merger fell apart last week when a federal judge sided with the FTC, which sued to block the proposed $24.6 billion merger between two of the country’s largest grocers.

Albertsons then filed a lawsuit against Kroger for breach of contract and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing in Delaware Chancery Court. Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons is seeking “billions of dollars” in damages from Kroger, claiming that its shareholders have been denied the “multi-billion-dollar premium” they would have received if the deal went through, but instead have been subject to decreased value as a result of Kroger’s actions.

The FTC also filed a lawsuit against Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits (SGWS), the nation’s largest alcohol distributor, over its pricing practices. The complaint, filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, invoked the little-used Robinson-Patman Act of 1936, which attempts to rein in larger suppliers from influencing prices in order to undercut smaller retailers. Reports that a lawsuit was in the works surfaced this summer.

Brewbound Insiders can read extensive coverage of both legal-adjacent issues courtesy of the broader BevNET/Nosh team, who pitched in while we were hosting Brewbound Live, which took place last week in Marina del Rey.

The two-day business conference concluded with the announcement of Hurray’s Girl Beer as the winner of the 16th Brewbound Pitch Slam. In her four-minute final round pitch, founder Ray Biebuyck told the story of her brand’s mission to make a beer for female-identifying drinkers that stands out from other pink-washed attempts in the industry. Look for a conversation with Biebuyck on an upcoming episode of the Brewbound Podcast.

Hurray’s Girl Beer joins an impressive list of past winners that includes Crowns and Hops, Lunar Hard Seltzer and Funkytown Brewery, which recently struck a deal to acquire a building near Chicago’s United Center. The proposed brewery and beer garden would be Funkytown’s first brick-and-mortar location of its own outside of Pilot Project, the brewery incubator where the brand got its start. Brewbound reporter Zoe Licata has all the details.

In other Brewbound Live 2024 news, all stage content is available for on-demand viewing for Brewbound Insiders. Suntory Holdings made news from the Brewbound Live stage when leaders announced the creation of a new business unit focused on malt-based, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails for the U.S. market. Read more about it here, and revisit this year’s Industry Award Winners and Rising Stars. 

Look for recaps of presentations, panels and discussions during the holidays. 

The bev-alc news didn’t stop last week just because Brewbound Live was happening. Here are some other headlines:

• CPI for Beer at Home and Away Outpaces Total Alcohol
• A Drink With … Sovereign Brands Founder Brett Berish
• Allagash Entering Colorado with Elite Brands
• Seth Rogen Brings Houseplant THC Seltzers to U.S.
• Brewers Association 2024 Recap: Closings Outpace Openings; Craft in ‘Painful Period of Rationalization’
• ‘95% of New Brands Fail’ – How to Be the Other 5%
• How Sake Brewers Are Chasing Trends to Woo American Palates

Insiders can read these stories and more on Brewbound.com. 

Plus, check out the latest Brewbound Podcast and the news in GIFs, courtesy of weekend newsletter writer Sean McNulty.