Kevin Burke

🍺 The beer category’s summer selling season arrived with a whimper, according to the latest Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) from the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA). The June BPI points to a broad industry-wide contraction, signaling continued headwinds for brewers and distributors alike. 📉 https://lnkd.in/g_8SUdiv #BeerIndustry #CraftBeer #BeverageTrends #AlcoholBeverage #IndustryInsights

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The rules of #snacking have been rewritten. What was once a $100bn category of steady favorites is now a $150bn market moving at breakneck speed. Conagra Brands, in partnership with Circana, has mapped the disruption in its first-ever Future of Snacking report. Bob Nolan, SVP of Demand Science at Conagra, says the winners will be those who deliver bold #flavors, credible #wellness claims and omnipresence across every channel. From pickle seasoning crossing categories to #guthealth claims up nearly 200%, the churn is structural, not cyclical. BakeryAndSnacks explores what this means for the future of snacking. https://lnkd.in/exMJ4d4H

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It's no secret that craft beer has faced headwinds in recent years, but oversupply isn't the primary issue. To drive the industry forward, brewers, wholesalers, and retailers must work together to right-size supply, optimize beer’s messaging, and streamline the supply chain. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Z4QHmu

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Is the bev-alc slowdown really about consumers — or an industry that overbuilt? 🍺📉 National Beer Wholesalers Association chief economist Lester Jones argues the category’s biggest challenge is oversupply, not shifting demand, pointing to years of capacity expansion fueled by cheap capital and portfolio sprawl. During a recent webinar, Jones said beer and spirits producers have “invested way too much in capacity,” while consumption levels among legal-age drinkers have remained largely stable. New retailer data from Fintech shows off-premise beer purchases falling sharply, even as on-premise sales quietly gained share and dollars. 📊🍻 Link to the full story in the first comment below 👇 #BevAlc #BeerIndustry #AlcoholTrends #OnPremise #OffPremise #CraftBeer #IndustryAnalysis

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📉 Distributor confidence in the beer category is slipping after a challenging Q1, per a new Jefferies survey. Softer-than-expected trends are adding uncertainty heading into the rest of 2024. Full analysis below from Brewbound. https://lnkd.in/gzNFbuUq #BeerIndustry #BeverageInsights #CraftBeer #AlcoholIndustry #MarketTrends

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MOLSON COORS MISSES EARNINGS, MOVES GUIDANCE LOWER AS ALCOHOL MARKET REMAINS SOFT Molson Coors reported earnings this morning with sales declining -2.3% YoY, Americas shipments down 6.5% YoY Revenues have still not crossed 2Q23 levels

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How will tariffs impact the beverage-alcohol industry? We captured data on beer shelves nationwide to see how imports stack up against domestics—and what the future might hold for the beer category. 

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The U.S. beer industry is at a turning point. For nearly two decades, the playbook was simple: raise prices annually, protect margins and rely on brand equity to carry the category forward. That model worked… until it didn’t. Today, we’re seeing the consequences across the industry: - Declining volumes - Retailers prioritizing velocity over margin protection - Consumers becoming far more value-conscious Beer has always been an accessible beverage – something meant to be shared at barbecues, concerts and ball games. But over time, repeated price increases pushed the category further away from that core promise. Now the industry is facing a structural reset. In a new piece published by The Beer Connoisseur, I break down: - Why the era of automatic price hikes has ended - What retailers are prioritizing in 2026 resets - How consumer behavior around alcohol and affordability is changing - Why the next cycle of beer growth will be driven by brands that restore balance between price and value At Outlaw Light Beer, we are seeing this shift firsthand as retailers increasingly prioritize brands that can drive real volume and connect with today’s consumer. The industry’s next chapter won’t be defined by pricing power. It will be defined by relevance, accessibility and fairness. ➡️ Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g3N5bt8C #OutlawLight #TivoliBrewing #BeerIndustry #ConsumerTrends #RetailStrategy

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A flicker of optimism is showing up in the numbers. The National Beer Wholesalers Association reports its highest Beer Purchasers’ Index reading in four months, with January jumping 14 points from December—hinting that 2026 could mark a turn toward growth. Still, the craft index remains low, underscoring a cautious recovery where momentum is building, but pressure hasn’t fully lifted. Full story: https://zurl.co/N191E

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The rules of #snacking have been rewritten. What was once a $100bn category of steady favorites is now a $150bn market moving at breakneck speed. Conagra Brands, in partnership with Circana, has mapped the disruption in its first-ever Future of Snacking report. Bob Nolan, SVP of Demand Science at Conagra, says the winners will be those who deliver bold #flavors, credible #wellness claims and omnipresence across every channel. From pickle seasoning crossing categories to #guthealth claims up nearly 200%, the churn is structural, not cyclical. BakeryAndSnacks explores what this means for the future of snacking. https://lnkd.in/eXGJt2qN

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Conagra Brands Q1 Earnings: Tariffs Bite, Frozen Momentum Builds 📉 Revenue: Net sales $2.63B (-5.8%); organic nearly flat (-0.6%) 📊 Margins: Adj. op margin 11.8% (-244 bps) as protein & tariff costs weigh ⚙️ Strategy: Service levels hit 98%, portfolio reshaping, divestitures cut net debt 💬 CEO Sean Connolly: “We fully restored service levels and advanced portfolio reshaping while reducing net debt.” 💬 CFO Dave Marberger: “Q2 margin will dip below full-year range as tariff costs rise.” ➡️ Full breakdown linked in comments — follow me for sharp, no-fluff insights on the consumer staples sector

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A 30-year-old beer brand files for bankruptcy. On the surface, it reads like another craft casualty. But zoom out. This isn’t just about one label. It’s about compression. Three forces are converging: • Shelf space tightening • Distributor portfolio consolidation • Consumer fragmentation Thirty years used to signal durability. Today, it doesn’t guarantee velocity. Beer isn’t disappearing. But loyalty is thinner. Occasion share is splitting — spirits, RTDs, THC beverages, NA. When a legacy craft brand files, the question isn’t “why didn’t they survive?” It’s: Did they control distribution? Did they protect margin? Did they adapt to pacing trends? Or were they stuck in a model built for 2014? We’re in a cycle where: • Regional brands are squeezed between global scale and hyper-local taprooms • Debt taken on during expansion years is harder to service • Taproom strength doesn’t always translate to wholesale resilience Bankruptcy doesn’t always mean failure of product. Sometimes it’s: • Capital structure • Overexpansion • Distributor deprioritization • Portfolio overcrowding For Producers: Longevity doesn’t replace strategy. Infrastructure and access matter more than brand age. For Distributors: Portfolio rationalization will continue. Shelf productivity wins. For On-Premise: Rotating taps favor agility over heritage. This isn’t a beer obituary. It’s a reminder that brand equity without channel control is fragile. The next cycle won’t reward nostalgia. It will reward structural alignment. And that’s a harder lesson than most headlines admit. #BeverageIndustry #CraftBeer #Distribution #Hospitality #AlcoholMarkets

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Here's a recap of what happened in the alcohol industry this week: 1. Diageo cuts $500M and will divest non-core assets 2. Doom scrolling, not wellness, could be tanking alcohol sales 3. Warren Buffet doubles down on Constellation Brands & Modelo 4. Avaline Wine signs a major distribution deal with SWGS 5. Trumps threatens 50% tariffs on EU, LVMH, Pernod Ricard, Diageo at risk (To stay up-to-date every day on what's going on in the alcohol industry, considering signing up for my daily newsletter - the first 30 days are free to try! - thealcoholreport.com)

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Conagra Brands’ inaugural Future of Snacking 2025 report identifies five key trends shaping snacking behaviors and influencing how consumers navigate an increasingly diverse snack landscape. Dan Skinner Bob Nolan Circana https://lnkd.in/eCxiER6A

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Minnesota’s food and ag economy is at an inflection point, not because we’re losing relevance, but because the rules have changed. Global food buyers demand traceability. Supply chains require reliability and consistency at scale. Rural communities need jobs beyond raw production. At the same time, capital for value-add food and ag ventures has become harder to access, even when demand is real and fundamentals are sound. I’ve seen this firsthand. The gap isn’t ideas or execution. It’s connecting producers, processors, applied research, and markets in a way lenders and investors can underwrite with confidence. That’s where modern food and ag economic development has to focus, turning research, innovation, and production into bankable, scalable ecosystems.

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