While inflation has "certainly moderated some," Constellation ceo Bill Newlands told Yahoo in video interview that appeared on Monday, it's also "not back to where it was." And "the one big watchout" remains "what does inflation do over time?" Specifically, Bill wondered what does inflation do to "particular commodities." While Constellation has "hedged where we can" and inflation coming down, inflation has been a "bit stubborn," according to Bill.

Bay-area and Asian-influenced craft brewer Dokkaebier has its first production facility & taproom, after acquiring Oakland's Federation Brewing for an undisclosed amount, cos announced late last wk. Dokkaebier's been contract-brewed since its launch in early 2020, with products sold in over 400 restaurants and retailers including Total Wine, Whole Foods, BevMo!, H Mart and more. But with its own brewery now under its belt, co will look to accelerate growth, already "one of the fastest-growing Asian breweries" in the US.

The largest craft brewer in Mississippi is now under new ownership. Kiln-based Lazy Magnolia Brewing, dubbed "Mississippi's first microbrewery" and state's first packaging brewery "since Prohibition," sold to biz partners Jason Anderson and Ryan Bowen for an undisclosed amount, per WLOX report. They "took interest in the sale of the estate" in Dec '22, recently taking the reins after a 3-month ownership transition.

Tilray alc bev sales slowed dramatically in Q3, despite all-incremental revs from Montauk. Up just $1 mil, 5% to $20.6 mil for qtr, compared to 56% in preceding qtr, which was first qtr after it bought Montauk. For 9 mos, co's alc bevs still up $14 mil, 28% to $62.7 mil. That's about 14% of Tilray's total revs, mainly in tuff cannabis biz. But alc bevs previously more of growth engine. No comment in release or on conference call on why it slowed in latest qtr. (A version of this article appeared earlier today in sibling pub INSIGHTS Express.)

Bell's is now available across the continental US, hitting every state except for Hawaii. It expanded distribution to 5 new mkts - Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington - just one state shy of a fully national footprint, Kirin-Lion announced today. Recall, co expected to expand the brand to 49 states by Jun, among several initiatives to grow Bell's beyond 500K bbls this yr (see Jan 24 issue).

You want high-end tea? Bottled Japanese brand called Yame with global aspirations likely is headed your way, harnessing rare variety called Yamecha that's grown around city of Yame in Fukuoka prefecture and harvested in extremely limited quantity of about 124 kg per year. Half-liter bottles hit on Mar 24 priced at 27,000 yen, about $200, as Nikkei news service reported. Those who're willing to spring for the item "will soon be shocked by how good our tea is," said Kazunobu Eshima, who heads promotion council made up of city officials and tea growers. Key figure behind launch is sommelier Francois Chartier, who views yamecha aroma as akin to wine from France's Alsace region and figures best way to seed the brand is to treat it like a fine wine. The RTD is produced via cold-steeping by co called Benefitea, based in another tea-growing region, Shizuoka prefecture.

Tho Monster's The Beast Unleashed alc entry reached 1.7 share of flavored malt bev $$ across US in latest wk of Circana/IRI MULC scans ended Mar 26, brand averaged ~5 share of segment in the 8 states where it's now available, per Consumer Edge's Brett Cooper. The Beast boasted double-digit share of FMBs in Iowa (13.2) and Ohio (10.1). But more modest 3.2 share in Calif, 3.0 in Florida and 1.0 share in NC after just 2nd wk in mkt there. Tennessee (6.8 share), Ariz (7.9) and Colo (8.0) closer to middle of the pack.

For Roar Organic hydration brand, as it establishes new course under ceo Bill Lange, 2022 was about restoring its retail presence, with brand going national within Whole Foods and Kroger and entering Publix. It also re-entered powdered segment with Plus Powders and debuted Strawberry Lemonade flavor. Year proved "very strong," he told us recently. Now, "2023 is about marketing," he said.