Impact’s “Hot Brand” Beers Show The Way Forward
July 2, 2024More than 30 beer and flavored malt beverage (FMB) brands defied industry trends in 2023 and turned in impressive—even dramatic—volume gains, at a time when the overall category saw declining sales amid heightened competition. Impact’s “Hot Brands” for beer and flavored malt beverages show the way forward for the category as it continues to beat back challenges from spirits-based RTDs, hemp THC beverages, and other competing drinks options.
Hot Brand honors are awarded to established brands with double-digit growth in 2021, 2022, and 2023; established brands with at least 15% growth last year; brands among the top 10 in their respective categories with at least 5% growth in 2023 and at least 15% growth since 2020; and significant new products.
A total of 31 beer and FMB brands achieved Hot Brand status, an interesting mix that included a domestic legacy brew, Mexican imports, established and new FMBs, a few craft labels, and even a couple non-alcoholic beers. The group was comprised of 17 beer brands (nine domestic and eight imported) and 14 FMBs. The list included 17 brands that are new to the list and 14 returnees.
Imported beers accounted for more than twice the combined volume of domestic beer and FMB Hot Brands, owing to the return once again of Modelo Especial, the third-largest beer in the country, to the list. Including Modelo Especial, Constellation Brands landed eight labels on the list.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, meanwhile, boasted four Hot Brands, despite repercussions from consumer pushback to Bud Light and other brands during the year. Molson Coors Beverage and New Belgium Brewing both fielded three Hot Brands in 2023. Three returning Hot Brand labels—Twisted Tea, Clubtails, and Yuengling Flight—even registered accelerated growth rates in 2023 versus 2022.
The full list, along with comprehensive data and analysis, appears in the June 1&15 issue of Impact. Click here to subscribe.
| Top Five Impact “Hot Brand” Beer And FMB Labels By Volume (millions of 2.25-gallon cases) |
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| Brand | Company | Origin/Type | 2022 | 2023 | Percent Change1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modelo Especial | Constellation | Mexican import | 179.7 | 196.2 | 9.2% |
| Twisted Tea | Boston Beer Co | FMB | 33.1 | 42.5 | 28.5% |
| Coors Banquet | Molson Coors | Domestic | 20.2 | 23.6 | 17.1% |
| Modelo Chelada | Constellation | Mexican import | 16.7 | 22.1 | 32.4% |
| Pacifico | Constellation | Mexican import | 17.7 | 20.7 | 16.8% |
| Total Top Five2 | 267.4 | 305.1 | 14.1% | ||
| 1 Based on unrounded data. 2 Addition of columns may not agree due to rounding. Source: IMPACT DATABANK © 2024 |
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Tagged : Constellation, Coors Banquet, Hot Brands, Impact, Modelo, Modelo Chelada, Pacifico, Twisted Tea
