The ho-hum performance of new bev-alc products this year has translated to a nearly 22% decline in dollar sales compared to last year’s launches, according to the latest report from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC). Senior reporter Zoe Licata has all the stats on how new offerings across beer, wine and spirits have fared in 2025. Spoiler: Flavor fuels growth – traditional styles… not so much.

Brewbound Insiders are also reading these stories in the full version of the Brewbound Insider Newsletter and at Brewbound.com:

• Ball Corporation reaping the benefits of subdued consumer spending across other categories;
• Beer shipment volume stabilizing, per the latest report from the Beer Institute;
• RTDs’ summertime share stealing from core beer;
• Heineken’s race to invest more marketing money in Formula 1;
• And Modelo’s incoming Noche Especial limited holiday release. 

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New entrants on bev-alc shelves have been a bit lackluster this year in terms of the sheer number of new items, and how much they are contributing to overall sales. The impact of those “underwhelming” trends could bleed into 2026 and beyond, according to Bump Williams Consulting’s (BWC) Bump Williams in the firm’s latest monthly report.

Bev-alc innovation dollar sales are down 21.6% YTD in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels (data ending October 11, 2025). That double-digit decline follows an 8% downward trend in 2024. Between 2023 and 2025, innovation dollar sales have declined from nearly $1.26 billion, to $907 million, marking a loss of $350 million in the 2-year period.

Williams wrote: “Part of this decline can certainly be tied to the proactive reduction in the sheer number of new items making their way to retail.”

“But part of me also wonders if some of this also has to do with the effectiveness/relevance of the new items when you think about the splits between those that are simply chasing trends versus those that are truly looking to generate incrementally.”

Insiders can read more here, including how top 2025 innovations compared to the most popular new items of 2023 and 2024.

Ball Corporation is poised to benefit as consumers navigate increased costs and financial crunches and focus their spending on food and beverages, CEO Daniel Fisher shared Tuesday morning during the aluminum beverage can manufacturer’s Q3 earnings report. 

During Tuesday’s call with investors and analysts, Fisher was asked his view on consumer elasticity for beer and carbonated soft drinks ahead of expected 2026 price increases. 

Fisher responded: “I'm actually more encouraged than the press clippings are. We've been talking about a weakened consumer for three years. Grocery baskets have been getting smaller for three years. So this is nothing new to what we've been dealing with and what our customers have been dealing with.” 

However, what’s different in 2025, and why Fisher is feeling encouraged, is consumers say they plan to “spend their money on food and beverages” as opposed to traveling or making “large capital” spends.

Insiders can read more from Ball’s Q3 earnings call, including the company passing through increased costs from tariffs to customers, as well as the company’s financial results.

There may be signs of stabilization for the beer industry.

September domestic tax paid shipments increased 1% YoY, to an estimated 12.2 million barrels, up from 12.08 million barrels in September 2024 (+116,375 barrels), the Beer Institute (BI) reported Tuesday, citing estimates from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).

September marks the best YoY shipments performance so far in 2025, and the only month in the black, after June shipments were readjusted from +0.3%, to -2.1%. 

Insiders can dive deeper into the numbers here.

RTD cocktails are now a regular part of drinkers' routines, with consumption frequency picking up and stealing the most share from beer, especially in the summer.

New data from market research firm IWSR shows the RTD category grew 1% in 2024 and is expected to maintain steady momentum, with volumes forecasted to rise at a 1% CAGR through 2029. RTDs’ share of total bev-alc servings doubled from 4% in 2019 to 8% in 2024 and is expected to reach 9% within the next 5 years.

Insiders can go deeper into the report, including why RTDs are now routine for drinkers and which spirits they’re pulling share from.

A pair of new RTD offerings are coming from New Belgium in 2026, including Kirin’s top-selling canned cocktail and a vodka offering with a “subtle nod” to the Voodoo Ranger franchise.

As part of their incubator approach to test, learn and prove new launches, New Belgium will bring parent company Kirin’s Hyoketsu vodka soda to the U.S.

In addition to Hyoketsu, New Belgium will launch Vandal Cocktails, a 10% ABV vodka-based RTD focused on the convenience channel. Take a look at the packaging above. 

Insiders can read more on plans for these RTDs, as well as Bell's and LightStrike hard refreshers.

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