Welcome to Brewbound’s Inside Look at the Beer Business for the week that was … Saturday, February 8, 2025.

Where, regardless of who wins the big game tomorrow, Kansas City is clearly coming out ahead – at least in terms of how much money they’ll have left after party shopping.

Here is the average price of a sixer in each city:

• Philly: $12.14
• KC: $9.32

And the data is from a frozen pizza brand, so, ya know it’s legit 😁. OK, totally take that FWIW, and enjoy your own sixer as you watch the game tomorrow wherever you are (or maybe a mixed sixer with some NA if you need to head into work early Monday).

BTW: COORS LIGHT is going with sloths for its 🏈 ad tomorrow (who knew there were still animal species left that haven’t been in a beer ad!).

• STELLA is going the surprise Hollywood actor direction in its Beckham ad.
• BUSCH has a 15-second spot involving NASCAR 🤯, which … I’m guessing may go the regional route but we’ll see tomorrow.
• BOSTON BEER is also getting in the action with a 15-second SUN CRUISER spot that’ll air in 10 markets.

THEN: Some HIGH NOON 2024 #funfacts from Beer Marketer’s Insights:

• Sales +20% in CIRCANA off-prem data to $475M
• BUZZBALLZ comp: $290M in 2024 sales (+40%)
• #5 in RTD behind WHITE CLAW, TWISTED TEA, TRULY and SMIRNOFF ICE

AH: LAGUNITAS is 3x’ing its marketing spend this year to $6M to try and change its sales trends (2024 was the brand’s 7th straight year of decline, according to Beer Marketer’s Insights). Jess has more on the light the brand was seeing in Q4 and what’s afoot for 2025, including 4 new products – 3 of which have “hazy” in the title (sorry, didn’t mean to spoil that).

FINALLY: Here is what’s exciting folks at TOTAL WINE in 2025, besides that new remodel in the Cabernet section, which is looking just 🤌 so far.

1. Smaller packaging #buzzballz #200mlCans
2. Non-carbonated bev-alc bevvies #Surfside
3. Resealable packages – #Darty friendly, I’m told

Oh and non-alc #duh. 

BOTTLE LOGIC BREWING

Senior Director of Sales – Anaheim, CA

PILOT PROJECT BREWING

Director of Operations – Milwaukee, WI

REVISION BREWING

Former MC exec Paul Verdu has left his 3-year tenure at the WISCONSIN BREWING COMPANY to join ASAHI as the managing director of its U.S. business. ASAHI is also investing $35M to upgrade the facilities at the OCTOPI brewery in WI that it bought last year, as part of a 3-year renovation process ahead. 

The BREWERS GUILD OF NJ named Brie Devlin as its new executive director, and Kaci Collins as its marketing director.

NIQ is out with some new survey data, indicating how sports betting could help out the on-premise, in that those who are betting on games are more likely to stay and drink longer.

No word on how said activity affects the outcome of such wagers made as the day goes on.

Gotta love a business with 8 consecutive half-years of double-digit growth! I can see why DIAGEO wants to get rid of it (just kidding, DIAGEO).

GUINNESS sales were +17% in the 2nd half of 2024 vs. the 2nd half of 2023, and it’s now the biggest bev-alc brand in Ireland and #2 in Great Britain, where it is the top beer brand. Given the bar tabs from my visits to both countries over the holiday season – you’re welcome, DIAGEO.

GUINNESS was also the fastest-growing import beer in the U.S. on-prem, where I’ve also been known to order a pint or two.

DIAGEO is also doubling its original investment in GUINNESS 0.0, a product that’s now 12% of U.K. GUINNESS sales, and is also always in my fridge. Are you seeing the pattern here, folks?

Huh, look at the moves on BALL ... couple of big new developments dropped on its Q4 earnings call this week:

• It bought FLORIDA CAN MANUFACTURING in a $160M deal, whose 800k sq. ft. plant in Winter Haven is close to BALL’s Tampa facility (it’s also very close to LEGOLAND! #Bonus). COCA-COLA is its primary customer.
• It’s opening a new “two-line” can facility in Millersburg, Oregon (sadly, no LEGOLAND in sight).

Q4 North America-only numbers:

• Revenue: $2.88B (basically flat vs. Q4 ‘23)
• Net Loss: -$32M (compared to +$154M in Q4 ‘23)

OK, maybe optimism is a strong word since the NBWA’s BPI for January is below 50 (meaning wholesalers intend to order less in the month ahead).

But as I was taught in first grade, and again in second grade when I didn’t do so well on my first grade math final: 48 is bigger than last year’s 43! 🥳 At-risk inventory was at a 49 👌.

Below Premium be boomin’ like Below Premium do, up 23 points YoY to 56, although Imports is still king at 61.

-1.8%

That’s where the BI puts the 2024 “beer supply” in a new report – and summer we’re looking at you! 87% of the decline took place between June and September.

Tax-paid shipments were -3.3%, declining 8 of the 12 months of 2024.

A trio of folks from NOLA distributor SOUTHERN EAGLE join the pod this week:

• Brandon Frederick, VP of sales
• Greg Naquin, director of off-premise sales
• Kris Cutrell, director of on-premise sales

They discuss the fun that is when the Super Bowl comes to town – including the preparations, expectations and the pain points that arise when bringing beer around one of the biggest party towns in America. 

PLUS: The BREWBOUND gang talk about beer and the Super Bowl (and rate the new ads for the big game), some Dry January results and the latest at LAGUNITAS. Plus people trying to rip off GUINNESS.

This week’s beer goes out to domestic beer – it’s been a good run!

Yes, the CEO of a Brazilian-owned beer company’s U.S. division, Brendan Whitworth, gave the world (or at least the beer biz) its “Freedom Fries” moment of the 2nd Trump administration this week … declaring that the beer industry should swap out the “domestic beer” term that’s been used for decades with absolutely zero issues, with “American beer” (just don’t put “Real” in front of it or the Hulkster may give you a call).

I mean, you know what American beer is right? Beer made in America, by Americans, dammit. Like STELLA ARTOIS. Wait, am I not getting this right?

Maybe we didn’t cover all the angles, here? Also, Brendan definitely left off the “🙏 buy BUD LIGHT again!” line from the end of his note.

Well, either way – help yourselves to one as well, of course. I’m putting it on Whitworth’s tab since the Superdome is charging the Americans he’s seemingly putting first in his branding missive a cool $13 hard-earned American dollars for 16 oz. of ‘American Lager.’

Huh. They left out the “light” part, que sopresa! Also curious that even A-B itself isn’t including the OG American beer BUDWEISER on the Super Bowl menu in its blatant ‘America’ push – don’t worry pal, you’ll catch a break eventually. At least management changed its mind and didn’t demote you to a regional ad buy this year.

Slainté!

-Sean McNulty