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Tough Times Boosting Budget Beers

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:22:34 -0800

Americans may love kicking back with beer, but times are tough. That's why an increasing number of beer drinkers are swapping their microbrews for what are called "subpremium" beers in the beverage industry.

Anheuser-Busch has reported that its brands Busch and Natural Light have seen upticks in sales. Other beers - from Miller High Life to Milwaukee's Best to Hamm's to Keystone - have also been attracting a larger percentage of consumers.

To the beer industry's dismay, the increase in subpremium beer sales is happening at the expense of its higher-end beers, such as Budweiser and Miller Genuine Draft. Said one MillerCoors wholesaler: "I'm selling way more economy brands than I'm comfortable with . . . consumers are trading down."

Is this the case for you? Have you also been purchasing less costly beer options?

Source

Will You be Upset If Belgian Company Buys Budweiser?

partysugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:45:36 -0700

There is no other beer as quintessentially American as Budweiser. With its red, white, and blue label, the beer is known around the world as the American brew. But, how would you feel if the "great American lager" was no longer owned by an American company?

Big time Belgian brewer InBev, which makes Stella, Becks, and many other brews, has offered to buy Anheuser-Busch's beer. Both Americans and Belgians are outraged by the possible takeover. Americans - who are putting up a fight at savebudweiser.com - don't want to lose the national symbol, and the Belgians don't want to be associated with it.

Considering that I prefer Stella to Bud, I'm not affected by the possible merger. How about you? Will you be upset if a Belgian company buys America's favorite beer?

Source

Can I See Some ID?

YumSugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 10:03:19 -0700

In a recent survey conducted by The Nielsen Company on behalf of Anheuser-Busch, 95% of American adults think that, while inconvenient, ID checking is a worthwile way to reduce underage drinking. The survey was taken to determine how people view the effectiveness of ID checking. The survey also discovered that 94% of the people think that those who sell alcohol should be trained to spot fake IDs.

"Checking IDs is one of the keys to keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors. Simply put, if teens can't get alcohol, they can't drink it, and the survey reflects that America's retailers are doing their part, and that American adults fully embrace this concept," says John Kaestner, vice president of Consumer Affairs for Anheuser-Busch Cos.

In addition to the straightforward questions, the survey also asked a few ridiculous ones. The three that really stood out to me were:

The person we want to see the ID of (and get to know their real age) is: Joan Rivers (26%), Oprah Winfrey (23%), Simon Cowell (16%) and Ashton Kutcher (15%).
The lady we want to check our ID when purchasing alcohol is: Ellen Degeneres (32%), Kelly Ripa (24%), Tyra Banks (22%) and Ann Curry (9%).
The guy we want to check our IDs is Regis Philbin (29%), Conan O'Brien (21%), Ryan Seacrest (19%) and Al Roker (18%).

First of all, who thought to ask those questions? The ID stuff I can understand, it's really interesting, but who do you want to check your ID? What? Also, are you telling me that Regis Philbin really beat out someone like George Clooney? America, I don't get you sometimes...

Source: PR Newswire

Beer Prices on the Rise; Budweiser Goes Global

YumSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:30:45 -0700

In the mood for a brew? Be forewarned, a cold one could cost you. Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors have both announced plans to hike beer prices. Falling sales and higher costs of commodities like barley and hops have forced them to compensate by raising prices. In a statement Tuesday, US-Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev said it will raise stickers "across different price tiers" in "a majority of markets this Fall" to cover "input costs." Likewise, InBev's biggest competitor, MillerCoors, intends to increase prices this season. Higher prices from the two conglomerates - which together comprise more than 80 percent of the market - will impact the beer industry during a time when beer drinkers are reaching for the cheapest selections.

In a New York Times commentary, "Rising Beer Prices Hint at Oligopoly," the op-ed's writers lament that the two companies' abilities to raise prices while customers are hurting "highlights the pricing power that has accompanied industry consolidation" and "begs for an antitrust review."

Anheuser-Busch isn't stopping there. The beer overlord has aggressive plans to transform Budweiser into a global player, using Coca-Cola as a marketing model. The corporation hopes to introduce the "King of Beers" into dozens of new markets, including parts of Africa. Have you noticed rising beer prices? Could Budweiser eventually become an international symbol like Coke? Should Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors face antitrust allegations?

Bud Light's "In the Can" Commercial Aims Below the Belt

YumSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:50:16 -0700

To promote its new Bud Light Lime cans, Anheuser-Busch is getting the word out through an interesting campaign that takes raunchiness to the next level. The online commercial features confessions of people who claim they enjoy "getting it in the can."

Industry vets have called the spot a "wannabe viral video" that's "crude" and "juvenile." Personally, I was entertained the first time I saw it - though it doesn't make me want to run to the store to buy Bud Light Lime. What do you think? Is this marketing ploy childish and gross, or a laughable campaign that you can get behind?

Source: Flickr User KeyExpert

Corona Introducing 24-Ounce Cans

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:04:23 -0700

This news might come as a surprise to Anheuser-Busch, but Bud Light lovers aren't the only ones who like to get it in the can. So do Corona drinkers. Crown Imports, the importer and distributor for the popular Mexican beer, plans to roll out 24-ounce, single-serving cans of Corona and Corona Light. The cans - which contain twice the amount of beer as a typical bottle - make their debut in 26 initial markets this month, with Corona Light following soon. Considering Coca-Cola recently publicized plans to offer soft drinks in smaller can sizes, I'm surprised Corona has decided to venture in the opposite direction by scaling its sizes up. Even though Corona's one of my go-to beer brands, I wonder if a 24-ounce can will fall flat before I finish it. Would you buy Corona in a 24-ounce can?

Source: User dotbenjamin