After taking a minority stake in 2019, Heineken fully acquired fellow Amsterdam-based brewer Oedipus for an undisclosed sum, co announced and NL Times reported. Selling stake to Heineken previously allowed Oedipus to shift its focus from on-prem to supermarkets during Covid, said Oedipus director Frederik van Droffelaar.

Biggest craft players often heavily skew craft trends in off-premise scan data, sometimes swinging trends multiple points depending on the style, package and geography. For instance, total craft IPA $$ grew 5.2% for 13 wks thru May 20 in NielsenIQ, "but that's heavily driven by the top 15 players, who are up 10.2%" as a group, Brewers Assn economist Bart Watson pointed out in post this wk. He announced a new NielsenIQ data dashboard available to BA members in partnership with 3 Tier Beverages consulting co. The top-15 breakout is strategic, broadly provided for many metrics to help mid-sized craft brands benchmark, Bart explains. Indeed, small/midsize craft IPAs (below the top 15) grew just 1.1% for 13 wks.

Two Roads has plenty in the works at its 10-acre campus in Stratford, CT. And while it's still early days following co's portfolio-wide pkging refresh and new additions to leadership team (see Jan 23 issue), Two Roads' contract arm continues to expand. It's now eyeing north of 85K contract bbls this yr, up from 60K bbls in 2022, prexy/CEO Brad Hittle and mktg director Collin Kennedy shared with CBN. Co finished a bit over 104K total bbls last yr between contract volume plus Two Roads' own. This yr it expects to exceed 130K bbls if all goes to plan, Brad noted (implying a bit below 45K bbls of Two Roads volume), with goal to expand total capacity to 165-170K bbls over next 2-3 yrs. Facilitating expansion is 25K sq-ft of contiguous space that Two Roads will take over from a former tenant, adding linear flow from current production ops.

Top execs for two top craft brewers recently announced their exits as both New Belgium and Sierra Nevada formally began their searches for new ceos. Both Sierra's ceo Jeff White and New Belgium ceo Steve Fechheimer started ceo roles at similar times and helped reshape their respective portfolios thru new brand families, Voodoo Ranger and Hazy Little Thing, as each became leading brands.

Rare legal challenge to AB's equity agreement continues to move thru US Dist Ct in Connecticut. CT distrib Dichello and AB each recently filed motions for summary judgment, urging ct to rule in their favor before heading toward trial. Recall, Dichello first filed suit in July 2020, arguing AB's equity agreement (EA) unenforceable under CT state law (with host of antitrust allegations). AB fired back the following mo with motion to dismiss most of Dichello's arguments, lobbing its own counterclaims against the distrib for "serial breaches" of the EA. Both sides filed new briefs in Nov 2020 and ct dismissed Dichello's antitrust allegations nearly a yr later. But judge allowed claims of "unfair" EA to proceed, while Dichello's charge of tortious interference also survived. Following depositions and latest filings, including many more from AB than Dichello, here's where things stand:

State regulator to-do lists grow longer and longer as the US alc bev biz shifts, new entrants pose new challenges and existing players embrace different models. Panelists at NCSLA conference in Oklahoma City last wk pointed to the age-old problem: govt, regulators and the law move slowly as the biz moves ever faster. Maybe it's "natural," the word used for "distrust" between industry & public health by Center for Alcohol Policy exec director Kelly Roberson. Too wide a divide between industry activity and enforcement poses an existential threat to regulators. So when will push come to shove? Are parts of the biz already beyond the reach of often thinly resourced and staffed agencies?

Pabst Brewing trends also accelerated sharply in scan data since Bud Light controversy began, up double digits every week of last 6, including as high as 18.6% for week thru May 28 (Memorial Day) in Circana multi-outlet + convenience. Its all channel sales, like Yuengling, up solidly but not as dramatically as in scan. Its $$ sales up mid-singles, said prexy Paul Chibe, following 2% growth last yr. Trends had already "improved" in first qtr, said Paul, but now there's "acceleration" and co is "getting into great shape." Recall, Paul joined Pabst in 2021, and 2022 was about "focusing on core," "getting process and priorities simplified" and "getting team in place." His sr leadership team includes ex-AB execs such as Keith Diggs and Michael Taylor. And now 2023 is a "continuation." It's early days but the "transition" to City Brewing is "on track," said Paul. But almost all its beer still brewed by Molson Coors and greater than anticipated growth each is experiencing, that's "putting pressure on supply," Paul acknowledged, tho he added: "We're working well with our partners."

Yuengling flying in off-premise scan data, a leading beneficiary of Bud Light fallout. Volume up a stunning 35-40% last 6 weeks thru Jun 11 in Circana multi-outlet + convenience data. Several factors play into its recent acceleration including 3 new expansion mkts (OK,MO,KA), its light beers coming on, simplicity and a Bud Light bump. Yuengling's long-running position as America's oldest brewer currently serving it in especially good stead. Yet all-channel thru May, Yuengling growth more modest, mid-single digits, sales and mktg veep Colin Callahan told INSIGHTS. That's still pretty good, especially considering it was down in 2022 and beer biz down in 2023.

Much has been made about Modelo Especial sales surpassing Bud Light in tracked off-prem channels, by $$, not volume, for recent periods. Mass media outlets flocked to cover Modelo's rise amid Bud Light's fall, often lacking nuance and perhaps overly eager to dethrone Bud Light and crown Modelo #1 beer in the US. But even short-term in scan, Bud Light losing its #1 spot in the industry underscores momentous shifts in mkt.