Come to Nutrabolt's C4 Energy booth at NACS next week to witness its latest innovation and laugh. That's message from Nutrabolt today as it seeks to stoke traffic at upcoming c-store extravaganza opening next Tues in Las Vegas. Actually, the laughter and innovation are not connected: the promised yuks will come from booth appearance by key investor/endorser Kevin Hart, in discussion with his trainer Ron Boss Everline, who intro'd him to brand. As for the innovation, a highlight will be an extension to its high-potency C4 Ultimate Energy subline called Frost that harnesses thermogenic process from can supplier Ball that transitions skin from silver to blue once can is cold and ready to drink. Due in Jan, it employs elevated 300 mg caffeine of Ultimate Energy line and will debut in Frost Bitten Citrus, Tropical Tundra Frost and Cherry Bomb Frost flavors.

Hemp in the form of Delta-9 THC bevs commands outsized focus across the industry lately and many beer distribs are "grappling" with the "commercial opportunity and regulatory uncertainty" they represent, NBWA bd chair Jim Fabiano commented during genl session of org's convention this morn. With all the flux, uncertainty and variation, NBWA formed a hemp bev working group following the "latest regulations and market developments," Jim pointed out. Many major beer suppliers are "very concerned," Craig said before stating firmly that "distributors take their regulatory responsibilities seriously."

Just added to our jam-packed Beer Insights Seminar program: Anheuser-Busch US chief commercial officer Kyle Norrington. Overseeing co's commercial efforts as well as its marketing, Kyle will speak to the evolution of AB's megabrand strategy, its big ambitions for Mich Ultra (including the upcoming launch of Mich Ultra Zero), and much more.

KY Eagle and Congo Brands ultimately settled their lawsuit "amicably" for "both parties," KY Eagle prexy Tate Russell shared during NBWA session on "defending contractual rights, distributor branding, disarming industry critics, E-commerce, and digital sales." Recall, Congo (parent co of Alani Nu, Prime, 3D) sought to terminate KY Eagle "with cause" in Feb 2024 after KY Eagle sent Congo cease and desist letter in Jan for planning to sell direct to Walmart for certain limited-edition Prime and Alani brands (see Feb 14 issue).

While NBB has confirmed safety of all co-workers, "ramifications of the storm are substantial," NBB head of communications Sterling Reithman wrote INSIGHTS. "We are expecting our recovery efforts to take quite a bit of time" as "our brewery suffered significant water damage, although not as much as we originally feared based on photograph," Sterling added. "We want to be transparent that we expect there to be disruptions to our order fulfillment capabilities at minimum over the next several weeks."

For first time in nearly 50 yrs, 14 US ports along east coast from Maine and out to Texas are on strike. Port employers, "pressed by Biden administration officials," upped their pay increase offer to 50% over 6 yrs, up from 40%, along with promises to limit automation. International Longshoremen's Assoc (ILA) however didn't budge off its demand for a 77% pay hike to make up for inflation, reported Wall St Journal. President Biden could step in under Taft-Hartley act and suspend strike with an 80-day cooling off period. But this past weekend he told reporters: "Because it's collective bargaining, I don't believe in Taft-Hartley." "A strike lasting one week would tie up ships for much longer periods, which could exacerbate shipping delays, eat up capacity and drive up freight rates," industry analysts told WSJ. Recall, these ports account for "80% of imported beer, wine, whiskey and scotch and 60% of rum," per CNN Business, citing Farm Bureau (tho that must mean non-Mexican imports). Spirits are the "top import" at closed ports in NY and NJ. ILA members earn a base salary of $81K annually, "but some can pull in over $200,000 annually with large amounts of overtime," noted AP.

Stats about non-alc beer's growth are almost always accompanied by the caveat: "off a tiny base." But NA beer is already "almost 5%" of all 6pk sales in the country, Athletic ceo/founder Bill Shufelt noted during main stage panel at NBWA yesterday. It's much larger in certain chains and closer to 10% of beer volume in some channels, he added. And in certain states with good per capita penetration, "we're 1 out of every 7 six-packs sold in all of beer." In one retail account, they're on pace to do "30 thousand" 6pks this yr. But "we are not trying to bring back prohibition. We are here for category growth" and for "the love of beer," Bill assured, adding that "we've created over 250 US jobs" and invested "over $100 million" in US manufacturing.

Lawmakers seriously stepped-up criticism of this yr's unique, controversial process leading toward the development of the next edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Leadership of the House Oversight Committee formally subpoenaed documents they've been seeking for 6 mos this morning. In letters to Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary Becerra and Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack, committee chair James Comer requested compliance with document requests first made in early April. That's when Comer and other lawmakers first expressed concern that DGA-related work being done under the auspices of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking (ICCPUD) toward the DGA does not comply with federal law.

"Core beer still has an inherent strength as a proposition," Pabst ceo Paul Chibe stated definitively on the mainstage during NBWA's convention in San Diego yesterday. "We've got to keep the faith," he said of efforts to "turn around the trend" and get beer back to growth. "It can be done." Reflecting on lessons from his time at AB and the leadership of August Busch III, beer grew because of "the focus on elevating the imagery of beer," Paul continued. "Beer is special," he said, encouraging all industry members to "always respect the beer."