"After a prolonged period of high inflation and higher interest rates, Americans are just getting by," began a Sep 27 CNBC article based on a new Lending Club report. In Aug, 60% of adults were living paycheck to paycheck. That's unchanged from last yr, but amidst continued high inflation, with wage growth not keeping up, "households are having a harder time making ends meet," wrote CNBC. "The data underscores the pervasive nature of financial challenges affecting a majority of consumers," said Lending club's money expert. "The problem is that there is more month at the end of the money," she added.

While Anheuser Busch InBev stock had drifted downwards since its Capital Markets day last week in Mexico City, this morning it popped about 4% as “Bank of America turned bullish… for the first time in three years,” according to Seeking Alpha. B of A sees “positive turn in global margins for the beer giant…. Margins are at an inflection point due mainly to input cost pressures that have started to ease a little sooner than peers,” wrote Seeking Alpha. B of A analyst Andrea Pistacchi also pointed to stabilizing LatAm currencies and “a forecast for slightly declining cost of goods sold per hectoliter in 2024.”

That’s striking compared to the outsized cost of goods increases over the last few years.  Then too, “crucially, the hit from the loss of market share in the U.S. is also noted to be now in the base and already factored in by the market,” said Seeking Alpha. So just resetting a lower level? That may be good news for investors, but not for distribs, and it’s a long way from getting every case back, as AB had previously pledged.   

Glazer's Beer & Beverage (GBB) struck just the 2d sizable MC distrib deal since Bud Light fallout led to massive shift in trends for MC brands (among others). It completed purchase of Omaha, NE's Premier-Midwest Beverage Company, including Premier's 50% stake in outstanding partnership with GBB in Sioux City, IA, co announced. Deal adds over 3.5 mil cases to annual sales, including MC, Mark Anthony, Boston Beer, Pabst, Heineken, Red Bull and Founders among other suppliers in NE, per website. Glazer's Beer & Bev already sells over 40 mil cases across Arkansas, Louisiana and TX, and expects to surpass $1 bil in revs by 2024, per announcement. Premier's website touts 100K sq-ft warehouse and over 450 brands. "Along with great suppliers and great brands, we are getting some really talented employees and we look forward to growing our business in both markets and throughout the Midwest," said prexy and coo Phil Meacham.

In weekly compilation of dealmaking activity, Silverwood Partners is reporting several bev-related transactions, sometimes without much detail. Banker reports that United Sodas of America received $4.25 mil in financing from undisclosed investors on Sep 20 . . . Over in UK, Nurture Brands has acquired rival The Juice Executive for undisclosed amount on Sep 20, 2023. Per trade reports, deal adds premium fresh juices, functional shots, cleanses and nut mylks to Nurture Brands' plant-based portfolio, as well as a plant for production of raw and HPP juice and a dedicated allergen processing plant for plantmilks.