Press Release:

(Leesburg, VA) – Based on data from GuestMetrics, the largest brands that accounted for ~25% of category volumes at the beginning of 2012 have all lost share since then, though at different rates and for different reasons. The top brands lost the most share in beer, while they held up better in wine & spirits.

Beer is the most concentrated category, with just three brands (Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light) accounting for 25% of on-premise beer volumes. However, comparing the first 9 months of 2013 versus the first nine months of 2012, the roll-up of those three brands has seen share contract, from 27.4% to 25.5% for a loss of about 2 share points.

Comparing the growth performance of those 3 brands versus the long tail of brands that account for the remaining ¾ of category sales, the top 3 saw volumes fall 10%, while the tail’s volumes only declined 1%. This tail not only includes craft brands but also successful innovation from the big brewers.

Innovation continues to play an important role in driving growth but improving core brand performance is also critical. There continues to be a rapid proliferation in the number of beer brands sold, which is up 21% thus far in 2013.