Trade News

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→ Tenth & Blake, the U.S. craft division for Molson Coors Beverage Company, recently announced an agreement to acquire Detroit-based Atwater Brewery. The near 22-year-old Atwater distributed over 20,000 barrels in 2019, a single-digit growth trend over 2018, with distribution primarily in the Midwest. Heidelberg handles Atwater products in all markets except Cincinnati and Kentucky.

→ Corona Hard Selzter launches this month with a $40 million marketing push from Constellation Brands. The new Seltzer comes in four flavors: Tropical Lime, Mango, Cherry and Blackberry Lime.

→ Saucy Brew Works, a Cleveland-based craft brewery, has partnered with Heidelberg as it embarks on an aggressive expansion plan in Ohio and Michigan. We currently are handling Saucy Brew Works products in Lorain and Columbus.

→ Online publication BrewBound recently shared part of the “Beer Industry Report with NBWA” which was put together with partner Fintech. Beer data highlights, represented by 780 million cases sold across all 50 states last year, reveal several clear trends: Cans share of market grew 6% thanks to the introduction of seltzers; seasonal brews continue to grow in importance, especially fall and winter selections; and seltzer was the biggest industry story of the year, growing faster than all premium beers, light, imports, ciders and crafts.

→ In his latest post on the Brewers Association site, economist Bart Watson says data suggests that 2020 will be the first year “where cans have outsold bottles in distributed craft.” Twelve-ounce bottles still had the lion’s share last year of craft’s most popular multi-package configurations (4-, 6-,12- and 15-packs, in IRI MULC) at roughly 60.5% share last year, and cans came in at 35%. But those bottles are losing share while cans are gaining at all sizes of craft breweries and throughout all regions of the country.