Beer Marketer's Insights
Right on the heels of Bud Light's biggest NFL campaign announcement (see Aug 24 issue), AB's goin' big with Bud Light's College Football investment this yr too. Bud Light is partnered with over 50 teams while upping team cans "significantly" from 12 to 20 this yr, Bud Light veep Todd Allen shared with INSIGHTS. Co will also bring Backyard Tour concert series to 13 schools during key rivalry games, sponsoring parties on Friday nights with famous DJs, Loud Luxury, Ship Wrek and ACRAZE, and host Backyard Tailgate parties on Saturdays, he added. AB partnered with NBC/Peacock and Big10 Network to showcase "live look-ins" at these Backyard tour gatherings. And fans have a chance to win "private jet gameday flyaway experience and exclusive team merch" via QR code on cans. Altogether this is a "huge step up" from past seasons in College Football, Todd shared, as co's "keeping our foot on the gas this entire football campaign."
Stop "Squabbling" and Seek "Credible," "Practical" Answers to Alcohol's Problems, Mark Brown Prods
A persistent "high demand for change" to alcohol policies is "complicated by extremism," observed Sazerac exec chairman Mark Brown during Center for Alcohol Policy's annual Alcohol Law & Policy Conference in Philly yesterday. On one side, there's the insistence that there's "no safe level of alcohol consumption." On the other, arguments for deregulation to spur economic development. But with alcohol, "every single effort to ban it has failed miserably" and "every time we've deregulated it, it ends in disaster," Mark said. In his view, that points to the "inescapable conclusion" that it must be "actively and capably managed in society at all times." And that requires balance, working to "keep the bubble in the middle of the spirit level," as it were.
Sheehan Sale of Legends Closed In Aug; Some Smaller Brewers Struggling with Added Complexity
Sheehan deal selling Legends Distributing to AB network in MD/Wash DC officially closed a little over a week ago, but some local microbreweries are "buzzing about logistical headaches," Baltimore Banner reported today. Lengthy piece details distribution challenges for smaller craft cos, pointing to "patchwork" distrib network in different parts of state vs previous "one-stop shop" thru Legends.
One of Portland's oldest brewers shuttered its only remaining pub. After 22 yrs, Laurelwood Brewing's last brewpub is "closed until further notice," co announced on social media. "This isn't 'Goodbye,' and the Laurelwood Brewery is still open for business," the brewer clarified, encouraging folks to keep buying beers from its website, bars & restaurants and off-premise retailers. "We're working hard to expand our reach in Portland and beyond," Laurelwood added.
Firestone Walker is stickin' to beer and keepin' it simple as it prepares for 2024 and beyond, co shared during virtual distrib meeting yesterday. In midst of a challenging yr, co-founder/CEO David Walker dialed up co's "enduring" nature, building "a brewery for the ages" in his opening remarks. A fitting theme as Nick Firestone, co-founder Adam's son and now COO, was heavily featured for first time at the annual meeting. The company reinforced that "we won't satisfy everybody," David stated, quipping that "we won't be launching a non-alcoholic carrot infused vodka seltzer." That's as proliferation of FMBs, high ABV brews, craft lagers, blonde ale lifestyle brands and "NA everything" expected to continue across the board, Nick predicted (Editor's note: speaking of "NA everything," Mark Anthony announced to distribs on same day that it will launch White Claw 0% non-alc "premium seltzer" by Jan 2024 - see sibling pub INSIGHTS Express.)
Early last year a Dutch entrepreneur named Scott Van den Berg set up an investment fund called Influencer Capital whose core premise is to offer equity to influencers who agree to tout Influencer's investment targets in consumer brands and technologies. Now he's taken things a step further with formation of a new company called Celeb, an angel syndicate that invests in celebrity-backed brands. For his angels, he's not enlisting only high rollers but small investors willing to put as little as $2,500 into deals they like. First investment target, not identified yet, is "a brand cofounded by a social media superstar with 32 million followers." Co creates a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for each deal, even pro-rata ones, structured as an LLC, per website. Celeb captures 20% carried interest for finding and negotiating the deals.
Mark Anthony ain't the only flavored malt bev (FMB) player making moves in NAs. Boston Beer submitted labels to TTB regulator for new General Admission Brewing non-alc fruit brew, a line of 0.5% ABV malt bevs with natural flavors from juice concentrate. Boston will launch the NA brand "in early 2024," a rep shared with our sibling letter Insights Express after My Beer Buzz dug up the labels this wk. Details still sparse. But brand comes in at 60 cals with 5 g sugar and 13 g carbs, per packaging that also sports Brewers Assn's "independent craft" seal. Labels approved for Lemon Lime, Orange Ovation and Grapefruit Groove flavors, to be brewed at co's facilities in Boston; Milton, Dela, and Breinigsville, Penn. Gotta note, Boston previously had a more fruit-forward non-alc brew thru Dogfish Head Lemon Quest, but nixed that brand as it focused on Sam Adams NAs, which continue to post strong growth with Just the Haze IPA and new Gold Rush . . . Prime Hydration is ready to go live tomorrow in US and UK with Glowberry flavor whose packaging reps a stark departure with glowing green images of apples and smiley faces vs black background. Energy tracker Stack3d said it's hitting in bottles and powder sticks, with UK pkg indicating it's a Sour Apple Berry flavor . . . NY's Joe Coffee chain has become first to employ BKON's Coldstretto shelf-stable, ready-to-use cold espresso across all its locations, as delivery system for its popular Waverly Espresso signature variety. Besides offering speedier execution, Coldstretto solves an issue for espresso lovers who miss the pleasing acidity that is a tradeoff of cold-brewing process. Joe Coffee is starting with 2 recipes based on Waverly Espresso: Brown Sugar Shakerato made with oatmilk and brown sugar simple syrup, shaken over ice, and new Coldstretto version of its popular Black Cherry Espresso Soda made with black cherry syrup and carbonated water, served over ice.
Just Ice Tea, successor brand to Honest Tea launched by that brand's founders after discontinuance by Coca-Cola, is making inevitable move into cans. This Oct it will debut 12-oz conventional cans for flavors Lemon Tea and Dragon Green Tea - both echoing very popular flavors within defunct Honest Tea brand - and Raspberry Tea. Sales dir Rick Tidrow said the entries will serve a flock of functions. They'll help offer an SRP in $1.99-2.49 range vs $2.79-2.99 of core glass-bottle line. They'll offer more portable option, particularly in metros like Austin where glass bottles are discouraged on the street. And they'll inaugurate a format that should serve the brand well when it's ready to start offering its first multipacks, likely in Q2 of 2024. The glass bottles are too cumbersome while plastic is viewed as incompatible with brand values.
With Hard-Seltzer Segment Stagnant, White Claw Scrambles to Launch NA Extension for January Debut
Non-alc brands like Topo Chico, Mtn Dew or Monster entering alc segment? That's old hat by now, "dog bites man," as journalists say. Now here's a "man bites dog" development: White Claw NA. It's called White Claw 0% "non-alcoholic premium seltzer," comin' in 4 "full-flavor" variants at 15 calories per can with "hydrating electrolytes": Black Cherry Cranberry, Mango Passion Fruit, Peach Orange Blossom and Lime Yuzu. New concept on non-alc extension of hard-seltzer leader was subject of a "last-minute national conference call" with distributors yesterday, per multiple sources, as it comes hurtling to a c-store near you. Distributors will be able to order it by Oct, receive it in warehouses in Dec and begin selling it in Jan. White Claw parent Mark Anthony wants it to be merchandised alongside NA beers and in standalone displays, not mixed with other White Claw alc bev products. There will be a separate contract and investments for its NA brands.
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