Some observers looked askance at brand partnerships between major alc bev and non-alc bev producers when they announced "hard" or "spiked" versions of familiar NA brands. Those critics foresaw pushback, expecting claims that such cross-category branding lures underage consumers. Clearest example of those concerns popped on Memorial Day, when Los Angeles' KTLA alerted viewers that "parents need to be mindful of juicy booze brands." Brief piece asserts that "the problem for parents is that some leading edge beverage makers are repurposing existing juice brands as alcoholic beverages," which "poses a danger to little ones who might not understand what a spiked seltzer is, or why it's different from the fruit juice they may find in the fridge under the same brand." It specifically calls out Coca-Cola and Molson Coors collab, Simply Spiked Lemonade, and encourages parents who buy such products to "make sure they're inaccessible to kids." Stay tuned as Simply rolls out this month.

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Lotsa quakes rippling out from all corners of economy and beer industry jockeying to stay ahead of curve amid the jolts. While May CPI surged 8.6% for all items vs yr ago, beer prices up about half that, +4.5%. Still, that's well over double wine (+1.8%) and spirits (+1.4%) last mo. Same goes for yr-to-date: all items up 8.1%, beer prices +3.8%, spirits +1.8% and wine +1.6%. Remains to be seen how such dynamics impact cross-category demand. Beer suppliers clearly trying to take price where they can. On top of AB's 2nd price hike (see above), Heineken planning price increase "on or about" Oct 1, following "temporary" $0.10/case freight surcharge July 1-Dec 31 to offset rising ocean freight costs. Wholesalers not happy with that 10-cent surcharge either and likely won't just eat it.

A challenging time for largest brewer. In Q1, AB reported 2% rev gain in US, flat EBITDA, but softest depletions trend in entire ABI era (-5%). Since then, AB scan trends improved somewhat as strong Ultra trends continued and Busch Light sales ignited. But AB still losing 0.8 share of $$ yr-to-date thru 5/28 in NielsenIQ data, amidst soft (-5%) YTD trends. Tho $$ sales down only 0.7% for 4 weeks and it cut share loss in half.

Desires, demands and power of consumers dominated discussion at DISCUS' annual mtg in New Orleans last wk. Trends like premiumization and the convergence between alc and non alc bev categories are "consumer led," execs and analysts agreed during mainstage discussions. Consumer expectations drive sustainability and diversity initiatives as well as innovation of products like RTDs. And DISCUS sez it's "on the side of the consumer" with its chief legislative priorities, prexy/ceo Chris Swonger insisted, sharing org's work to establish parity for spirit-based RTDs and expand availability of DTC spirit shipments. But responding to consumer demands can challenge existing supply chains, conference speakers acknowledged. It also builds tension between industry categories and tiers.

"This is a dream I've had for 40 years," declared Mike Repole this past weekend after two horses he co-owns finished one-two at 154th Belmont Stakes on Sat, per story in Daily Racing Form. Repole, of course, has enjoyed flamboyant exit from Vitaminwater marketer Glaceau, (and more recently Body Armor) which enabled him to up his racing game from greyhounds to thoroughbred horses. Mo Donegal, whom Repole owns with Donegal Racing, won the Belmont by 3 lengths over the filly Nest, also co-owned by Repole, making for "a dream finish for one of racing's most-passionate owners," per DRF report. After all, "this is New York's biggest race," as Mike noted. Mo Donegal is a son of Uncle Mo, thoroughbred champ whom Repole raced a decade earlier.

Golden Grail Technology, one of a flock of smaller bevcos that are trying to assemble broad bev portfolios, has notched another acquisition: canned water play Koz. The purified-water line is packed in 12-oz and 16-oz cans. It joins portfolio that includes 4 other non-PET-plastic brands with Tickle Water, which just cut over to aluminum can, along with Spider Energy, Cause Water and tween-oriented Sketch Can. Gold Grail is based in Weston, Fla . . . Casey's General Store and Mtn Dew are collaborating for first time on exclusive "long-term offering," Overdrive, that brings "citrus punch taste with hints of mango, raspberry and lime flavors." It's hitting in 20-oz bottles and fountain this month in Casey's 2,400 c-stores in heartland region of US . . . Coca-Cola said it's deferred estimated $3 bil IPO of its African bottling unit to 2023 due to market turbulence. Flotation of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa would have been biggest on Johannesburg Stock Exchange since at least 2016 and a major boost for the flagging index, Reuters noted.

Bubble tea has long been popular among Asian community and around college campuses but efforts to offer packaged version dating back at least to 1990s with Mistic extension called Jumpin' Gems haven't gotten far. In the fray now is Inotea, which started 3 years ago with canned Bubble Tea containing tapioca pearls and now has broadened mix to include Pobble fruit juice entry that dials down the calories and caffeine. They go out about $3.49. Partners involved in launch come out of food biz, including noodle maker, and are based in Newark, NJ.