Trade News

→ Anheuser-Busch InBev recently purchased the remaining shares of stock at Craft Beer Alliance (CBA) after previously owning 31.2% of the company. CBA brands will join A-B’s Brewers Collective. The purchase was made shortly before another craft brewery acquisition: New Belgium was sold to Lion Little World Beverages, a division of Japanese firm Kirin. Several trade publications noted that these two acquisitions, similar to Boston Beer’s purchase of Dogfish Head Brewery, are a result of established craft breweries growing too large to continue on their own.

→ White Claw recently announced it is releasing three new flavors in 2020: Watermelon, lemon and tangerine. Current flavors include raspberry, black cherry, lime, ruby grapefruit, mango, and pure.

→ Wine.com recently released a list of its Top 10 wines sold in 2019.
Heidelberg carries eight out of the 10 (all except #2 and #9):

1. Kim Crawford 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand (Constellation Brands)
2. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, France (MH USA)
3. Meiomi 2017 Pinot Noir, California (Constellation Brands)
4. La Marca Prosecco, Italy (E&J Gallo)
5. Kendall-Jackson 2017 Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, California (Jackson Family Wines)
6. Tenuta di Nozzole 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva, Italy (Kobrand Wine & Spirits)
7. Substance 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington (Charles Smith Wines)
8. Substance 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington (Charles Smith Wines)
9. DAOU Vineyards 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, California (Daou Vineyards & Winery)
10. Decoy 2016 Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon, California (Duckhorn Wine Co.)

→ Babe is now the official wine sponsor of the NFL, it was announced in October. The canned wine was acquired earlier this year by Anheuser-Busch InBev through its innovation group ZX Ventures and is now available at 12 stadiums including Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Wine & Spirits Daily noted other alcoholic beverages partnering with professional organizations: MLB (Woodbridge), PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions (Meiomi), USTA (Kim Crawford) and UFC (Blackheart Rum).

→ Reuters Business News recently ran a story from the International Organization of Vine & Wine which said that global wine production fell 10% this year. Major producers in France, Italy and Spain were hit the hardest by unfavorable weather conditions. But since 2018 was an exceptionally large-output year, the decrease merely brought production back to around average numbers. In the U.S. production fell only 1%. Argentina was down 10% and Chile was down 7%. Production rose in South Africa to around 3%.

→ Budweiser recently renewed its sponsorship of the NBA but this new multi-year deal is different: The brand can “stand next” to active players, something that it was not allowed to do in its previous 20 years of sponsorship. Bud partners with two-time NBA champion Danny Green (now with LA Lakers) for its “Drink Wiser” ad campaign encouraging fans to drink responsibly and hydrate between Buds.

→ The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) recently released the 18th edition of its Productivity Report, saying that the average beer distributor in the U.S. has over 37 supplier relationships (domestic and importers), averages 280 brands and over 1,100 SKU’s in their portfolio of products. If we compare Heidelberg to that report, our “All Other Beer” category has 108 suppliers, 225 brands and some 5,835 SKU’s. Then we add in our Anheuser-Busch InBev division in Cincinnati (12 suppliers, 87 brands and 709 SKU’s) and our totals look like this: 120 suppliers, 312 brands and 6,544 SKU’s!

→ Wine & Spirits Daily reported that the annual executive survey at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium revealed several growth trends from the majority of respondents: More Rosé brands; canned wine and other alternative packaging such as tetra boxes and aluminum bottles; Oregon brands or grapes sourced in Oregon; sparkling wines; cannabis; and the continuation of seltzers.

→ The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported a 3.6% decrease in traffic deaths involving drunk drivers nationwide over last year. It is the lowest percentage change since the NHTSA started measuring alcohol-related vehicle deaths in 1982. Unfortunately, drunk driving crashes remain the biggest problem on American roads with more than 10,500 lives lost each year.