EPISODE · Jun 12, 2026 · 49 MIN
Weekly Beverage Alcohol Recap | June 12, 2026
from Beverage Business Briefing
**Key Themes This Week:**- US beverage alcohol market in structural multi-year decline; IWSR projects -18% servings by 2035- Beer enters summer with negative momentum; Memorial Day disappointing across channels- World Cup represents industry's largest activation bet — Diageo makes history as first spirits sponsor- Wine industry contraction deepens: Treasury Wine Estates slashes portfolio from 76 to <30 brands; Gallo closes another facility- Distribution tier consolidation accelerates with Reyes completing landmark RNDC 11-market acquisition**Major Company Moves:**- **AB InBev:** Michelob Ultra becomes #1 US beer brand by volume; Cutwater RTD posts +95.4% holiday week growth- **Reyes Beverage Group:** Closes RNDC deal — adds 600+ suppliers, 38M cases, $4B revenue; now #3 US wine & spirits distributor- **Treasury Wine Estates:** Cuts brands from 76 to <30; SKUs from 1,700 to <850; stock +13% on restructuring but down >50% YoY- **Gallo:** Closes West Turner Road crush facility in Lodi; fourth facility closure since 2025- **Constellation Brands:** Only major brewer in positive territory; Pacifico +17.5% dollars; F1Q27 earnings June 30- **Boston Beer:** Dollar sales -14.1% in L4W; fighting $175.5M Ardagh verdict- **Diageo:** First-ever World Cup spirits sponsor; NA revenue -9%, US spirits -15%; strategy update August 6- **Molson Coors:** Losses accelerating; raising summer ad spend 60%; launching Coors 0.0%- **Moon Distributors:** Acquiring RNDC's Arkansas operations- **Lucas Bols USA:** Complete national distribution realignment away from RNDC to four-partner network- **DISCUS:** Robinson Brown IV (Brown-Forman) elected Chair; Joe Fortune (Mast-Jägermeister) Vice Chair- **Uncle Nearest:** Enters receivership; active litigation- **Luca Mariano Distillery:** Apogee 21 Holdings as sole bidder at $16.7M- **Sazerac:** Threatens legal action over NC ABC minimum pricing proposal- **Hightails (THC beverages):** National sales partnership with Spirited Insiders- **Fever-Tree:** US market share gains via Molson Coors partnership; first national US marketing campaign- **Johnson Brothers:** Expands Round Pond Estate distribution to 9 new states; acquires Lucas Bols Midwest markets- **Mulholland Distilling:** Names Classic Wine & Spirits as California distributor- **Smart Distributors (MO):** Strategic investment from Leslie Rudd Investment Company- **Trulieve Cannabis:** Corporate de-consolidation; medical entity pursuing NYSE listing**Data Points to Watch:**- Total US alcohol: $8.6B in L4W, -4.6% YoY dollars, -6.3% volume- Beer YTD: +0.3% dollars, -1.2% volume (MULO+C); L4W turned negative- RTDs: Only positive bev-alc category (+0.1% dollars in L4W)- May Food PPI: +2.4% YoY, accelerating; 2-year stack +6.2%- Beer-at-home CPI: +2.9% YoY in May (from +2.2% April)- TBA wholesaler inventories: -4.3% YoY but still 39% above 2019 levels- Microbrewery volume: -8.9% in 2025, lowest since 2014- NA beer (domestic): +17.1% YTD; Michelob NA +95.2%- Energy drinks: +6.1% L2W; Monster +5.7%, Celsius/Alani combined share 16%- GLP-1 market: TD Cowen raises 2030 estimate to $150B, 26M US patients projected**Regulatory & Legal:**- Ohio files SCOTUS cert petition on wine retailer shipping (Block v. Canepa) — first state AG petition, circuit split acknowledged- Sazerac threatens legal action over NC ABC minimum spirits pricing- Boston Beer affiliate fights $175.5M Ardagh can supply verdict- Second Circuit vacates $1.3M Peju Province Winery trademark judgment- Garden Path Fermentation TTB vintage labeling challenge dismissed without prejudice- Oregon OLCC sting operations down 85%- NY One Fair Price Act (anti-AI pricing) passes legislature, awaits governor- Dueling health studies: government study finds risk at 1 drink/day vs. JGIM study finding no moderate drinking-cancer mortality link- Total Wine faces potential 20,000-applicant class action in Washington State
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Weekly Beverage Alcohol Recap | June 12, 2026
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