Total bev-alc sales in off-premise channels (multi-outlet plus convenience) declined -4% week-over-week (WoW) in the week ending July 9, which included the July 4 holiday, according to Circana analyst Scott Scanlon. However, year-over-year (YoY) trends were positive, with dollar sales (+8.4) and volume (+3.6%) improving versus the same week in 2022. 

Beer recorded “significant” growth in the week, increasing dollar sales +8.3% and volume +3.3% YoY.

One week past the extended holiday weekend, beer is “still displaying growth, primarily due to Mexican beer,” Scanlon wrote in his latest report, released late Monday. 

• Last 52 weeks, beer dollar sales +3.1% YoY, above total bev-alc’s performance in the period (+2.8%);
• However, beer volume declined -2.9%, marking a larger volume loss than total bev-alc (-2.6%);

Insiders can dive deeper into the report and brand specific performances, as well as the latest numbers for ready-to-drink canned cocktails and hard seltzers.

The July 4 holiday had an even stronger impact on on-premise sales this year, driving double-digit velocity growth throughout the week, according to CGA, a NIQ on-premise market research firm.

On-premise outlets recorded an average velocity increase of +47% on the July 4 holiday – which fell on a Tuesday – versus the previous week. Trends were more than double the increases recorded in 2022, when July 4 fell on a Monday.

CGA also shared on-premise performance for the latest week (ending July 15). Insiders can read those numbers here.

Non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing is releasing Closer By the Mile IPA for the fourth consecutive year, with 100% of the profits going to cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. 

Closer By the Mile is brewed in collaboration with the Pan-Mass Challenge bike-a-thon to raise money for Dana-Farber. The beer is available at athleticbrewing.com.

Athletic co-founder and CEO Bill Shufelt said: “Since teaming up with the PMC, we've donated more than $100,000 in profits from the sale of Closer By The Mile, an award-winning IPA brewed in honor of those who pedal across Massachusetts every August in a quest to help defeat cancer.”

Before the bagpipers and the pretzel necklace wearing masses descend upon the Great American Beer Festival, join Brewbound for Brew Talks in Denver.

The networking and conversation meetup will take place at Cervantes Masterpiece from noon to 3 p.m. MT Thursday, September 21. 

Conversations and speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. Get your tickets today.

Brewbound Insiders are going deeper into Hard MTN Dew’s performance this year, as well as Monster’s The Beast Unleashed. 

Today’s Insiders also have access to:

• More on- and off-premise data from the July 4 holiday;
• Details on Boston Beer’s newly appointed CFO;
• And product news from Allagash.

Become an Insider today.