1st BATCH OF FILES AVAILABLE NOW!

This week in 1989, Stroh chmn Peter Stroh and prexy Roger Fridholm wrote all of its distribs to disclose co hired Morgan Stanley "to explore opportunities for Stroh to enter into partnerships with brewers from outside the United States." Co told INSIGHTS it made plans public early "to limit misleading rumors" that Stroh was for sale. Veep Chris Sortwell shared some of co's thinking at time: "Essentially if you look at the global brewing market there are a tremendous number of global brewers who have no representation in the US and long-term believe they have to be here as a partner with somebody." In memo, Peter and Roger wrote: "A foreign brewer aspiring to compete in the United States market cannot afford to leave Anheuser Busch unchallenged to develop over time an impregnable US position and the increased ability to fund its own assault on foreign markets." Eventually foreign brewers did take big stakes in US industry. Unfortunately for Stroh, it didn't find a strong international partner to keep its biz going and sold to Pabst and Miller 10 years later. This week in 2000, INSIGHTS reported "it's a honeymoon period for new leaders of alc bev assns." National Journal ran lengthy article focused on David Rehr, Jeff Becker and Daniel Bradford, new prexies of NBWA, Beer Inst and BAA respectively. Mag credited leaders as "they are setting aside their group's historic rivalries and are promoting an aggressive and united approach for the beer industry&hellip;. Unity is the new mantra." "We have not done a very good job selling our commitment to responsible drinking," said Jeff. David broadened unity to include retailers too: beer distribs "needed to help retailers become more active to protect their interests." Industry at time was finally getting some credit for tackling alc abuse as White House press secy Joe Lockhart recently said: "You've seen a sort of sea change in this country" on drunk driving while crediting community and interest groups as well as govt and industry efforts. Jeff added to INSIGHTS there was now a "general sense in Washington that the industry is responsible and is making serious efforts to reduce abuse."This week in 2002, as AB neared launch of Bacardi Silver, Rep Frank Wolf tore into reported plans to advertise it during Olympics on House floor. NBC, Wolf said, "is allowing direct marketing to youth of a well-known brand of hard liquor by piggybacking onto another product.... Bacardi is a name people associate with hard liquor, period." NBC's "responsibility policy of alcohol advertising&hellip;is a sham," he thundered. INSIGHTS noted Wolf led Congressional charge to pass .08 mandate. At same time, liquor ad critics from AMA to CSPI cranked up efforts to make NBC reverse its Dec decision to run liquor ads. "Ironic that Bacardi Silver takin' heat before it's intro'd, tho Smirnoff Ice ads have been runnin' for over a year," wrote INSIGHTS.This week in 2003, INSIGHTS noted the pressure on traditional supermarkets was building. "If Wal-Mart and Target and Costco have made your lives miserable, get ready because it's about to get worse," wrote Progressive Grocer mag, summarizing McKinsey consultant's speech to big grocers. Wal-Mart and Costco had already grabbed big shares of categories like paper goods, cleaning products, etc., but "battleground" shifting to "hardcore grocery products that traditional grocers depend on for volume and profits&hellip;. Once a category goes to the value retailers, it rarely comes back," said McKinsey rep. Value retailers were getting 50% higher sales per square foot than traditional grocers, per McKinsey, from $625 to $420. They were plowing those extra $$ into service and labor while supers cut back, wrote Prog Grocer. Same mag said supers in the South and Texas may be most vulnerable.This week in 2007, with one eye looking back and one towards the future, Gambrinus prexy Carlos Alvarez reviewed '06 results and talked a bit about '07 plans as new smaller entity without Modelo portfolio. It is quite an adjustment to go from "having been at the top of the charts" to being a much smaller player, Carlos told INSIGHTS. "This is something shocking," Carlos said, and to "adapt does take some time." Still, Shiner biz was up a healthy 14% in '06. And Gambrinus was planning its "most ambitious urban expansion" with Shiner into Chicago mkt that spring. It was going with AB network in Chicago area, which had already been selling Gambrinus' Trumer Pils. In San Fran Bay Area, Trumer Pils was "truly exciting," said Carlos, and had already grown to become one of top 10 craft/import draft items. While Carlos was looking for cos to buy, he wasn't finding much and instead was looking at "investment for the long haul" in brands already in his portfolio. Sadly, Carlos passed away in Apr 2024.This week in 2011, INSIGHTS noted as beer distribs searched for growth alternatives, they were increasingly exploring wine and spirits. Phoenix/Beehive, largest Heineken distrib and 1 of top 20 distribs overall (owned by Brayman family), had a burgeoning separate spirits arm. That month it picked up Georgi, which was a top selling vodka by volume in NYC metro area. This was an interesting trend, which one source labeled as potentially beginning of "deconsolidation of spirits." "Can ultra-consolidated spirits distrib giants possibly service all their leading brands as effectively as possible? Might beer distributors bring something to the party?" wrote INSIGHTS.This week in 2013, AB distrib Southern Eagle had "purchase agreement in place" to buy Glazer's beer portfolio in New Orleans, co told Nola.com. Brands included craft brewers like Shiner, Rogue, North Coast, Ommegang. At least a couple dozen in all, INSIGHTS noted, but less than 200K cases. In recent yrs, Southern Eagle "has moved aggressively into the craft beer market with a focus on regional brands like Bayou Teche, Paris, Covington Brewhouse, Lazy Magnolia and Saint Arnold," wrote Nola. Glazer's was mostly getting bigger in beer. In fact, it had been growing a lot in general. Revs reached $3.8 bil in 2012, adding about $1 bil in last 2 yrs, since former investment banker Shelly Stein came to Glazer's, according to Dallas Biz Jnl. Glazer's, mostly a wine and spirits distrib, did 9 acquisitions and JVs that "Stein has overseen." The prior fall, he said beer revs would reach $560 mil in 2012 or about 15% of revs. So it was interesting that Glazer's made deal to get smaller in Southern Louisiana, where it lacked major beer brands. In 2016, Glazer's Beer and Beverage became a separately run biz from then newly merged Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, 100% owned by the Glazer family. Tho both SGWS and Glazer's Beer & Beverage are getting bigger in beer distribution these days.This week in 2016, ABI and SABMiller confirmed that Japan's largest brewer, Asahi Group Holdings, made offer to purchase Grolsch and Peroni brands. "We are pleased to have received this binding offer from Asahi on the Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands and businesses," said ceo Carlos Brito. Deal valued brands and businesses in Italy, Netherlands and UK at $2.9 bil. Various media reports estimated deal in $3.4-$3.5 bil range. INSIGHTS noted Grolsch and Peroni were valued at around $2.2 bil, but Asian brewers were seen as likely favorites for brands since they "could justify paying a higher price," to expand their int'l footprint, Reuters reported. Asahi was granted period of exclusivity to acquire brands, and it was also contingent on ABI-SABMiller deal completion. Deal closed in April that yr.

Throwback Thursday

Publishing Info