Report: Beer Industry Undergoing Shift

Technomic reports that select brands and categories are contributing to the momentum and re-shaping of the beer market.

October 02, 2013

CHICAGO – The beer industry reversed its downward trend of recent years to post both volume and dollar gains in 2012, but the momentum is slowing in 2013. The just-released 2013 BeerTAB (Trends in Adult Beverage) Report reveals that following a 1.3% decline in 2011, total beer volume increased 1.2% to 2.8 billion 2.25-gallon cases, and retail dollars rose 3.5% to $62.3 billion. The report demonstrates that as consumer preferences evolve, the beer market landscape is changing.

“Mainstream domestic beer performance was buoyed somewhat by the continued growth of super-premium labels such as Blue Moon and the retro-hip brands including Pabst Blue Ribbon. The mainstream domestic category’s rate of decline slowed in 2013,” said Eric Schmidt, director of research at Technomic, in a press release. “Light beer remained the largest category, and volume expanded slightly as Bud Light was flat, Coors Light grew and Bud Light Platinum added 20,000 cases to the market.”

Schmidt added that the largest beer categories faired considerably better in 2012 than they did in 2011, although the industry’s momentum really came from imported and craft beer, flavored malt beverage and cider.

The report found that higher-priced categories grew as consumers sought more flavor and diverse styles. The pricier super-premium domestic, craft, imported beer and cider categories together added 44.9 million cases to the overall market.

Craft growth is continuing. Craft beer posted one of the largest percent gains of any beer category 14.4% and now accounts for 6.3% of total beer volume. Its upward trajectory is continuing in 2013.

Cider has been benefiting from major supplier involvement. Anheuser-Busch InBev, MillerCoors and Boston Beer Company each staked claims in the cider category in 2012, contributing to its significant growth. In 2013, the entry of Heineken USA as marketer of Strongbow, the introduction of Stella Artois Cidre by Anheuser-Busch InBev and debut of Mike’s Hard Smashed Apple continues to fuel the category.

Consumer beer spending in bars and restaurants rose. After declining in 2011, beer volume in on-premise locations increased slightly in 2012, while sales grew 2.5%. Advertising expenditures increased. Beer marketer spending in major media outlets grew 6.5% to $1.3 billion in 2012. Television accounted for more than two-thirds of total spending.

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