• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • About Craft Brewing Business

Craft Brewing Business

Professional Insight, Unfiltered

Craft Brewing Business Craft Brewing Business
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment & Systems
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • News
  • Business & Marketing
  • Ingredients & Supplies
  • Packaging & Distribution
  • Equipment
  • Webinars & White Papers
  • COVID-19

NBWA Beer Purchasers’ Index for January 2020: hard seltzer hits new high, craft beer hits new low

February 11, 2020Pretty Much a Press Release

Oskar Blues seltzer
Wild Basin is Oskar Blues growing brand of hard seltzer.

Last week, the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) released the Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) for January 2020. The index surveys beer distributors’ purchases across different segments and compares them to previous years. A reading greater than 50 indicates the segment is expanding, while a reading below 50 indicates the segment is contracting.

The total beer index for January 2020 rose to 66 from 55 in January 2019. This is the highest January reading ever posted during the six years of the survey. In addition, the “at-risk inventory” index for total beer index dropped to 43 and has remained below the 50 mark for the past eight months. Together these results indicate a strong start to 2020 for the U.S. beer industry.

Looking across the segments:

  • The rush to bring new seltzer brands to market pushed the FMB/seltzer segment to a high mark of 91 for January 2020 relative to 66 in January 2019.
  • The craft index fell to a low of 45, a full 10 points lower than the January 2019 reading of 55. The craft segment bounced around the critical 50 mark for most of 2019 and is starting the new year at a new low point.
  • The index for imports were in line with last January’s reading of 64, remaining in expansion territory.
  • Premium lights, premium regulars and below premiums all posted decreases over last year’s readings. All three domestic segments continue to struggle with below 50 index readings.
  • The cider segment fell to 42 from 52 for the month. Cider orders continue to contract from peak readings in late 2018. This series will continue to play out as regional cider brands compete aggressively against larger national cider brands.

NBWA releases May Beer Purchasers’ Index, craft struggles and imports expand
self distribution craft beer
Hard seltzers continue to freefall in Beer Purchasers’ Index
NBWA releases Beer Purchasers’ Index for July 2021: seltzer sinks, craft steady
BPI-April
Hard seltzers continue to outperform all segments in Beer Purchasers’ Index

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • Cheers to 10 Years: We should all strive to be Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
  • Watch famed gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman discuss his Flying Dog beer labels
  • The all-new Papago Brewing taproom opens Friday
  • Michigan’s Dog Star Hops wins Chinook Cup for second year in a row

Sign up for our newsletter

unsubscribe from list

Most Popular Today

Recent Features

  • Arizona Wilderness BrewingCheers to 10 Years: We should all strive to be Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
    February 2, 2023
  • Watch famed gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman discuss his Flying Dog beer labels
    February 2, 2023
  • Michigan’s Dog Star Hops wins Chinook Cup for second year in a row
    February 1, 2023
  • fort point both-ciders-3Fort Point Beer debuts cider line, explains why ciders instead of seltzers
    January 31, 2023
  • Watch a drone release insects over hop yards for sustainable pest control in this Yakima Chief Hops video series
    January 30, 2023
  • Distro update: Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing goes to Colorado + news from Surreal, New Sarum and more
    January 30, 2023

Footer

  • Email Newsletter Sign Up
  • About Craft Brewing Business
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise on Craft Brewing Business
  • Media Kit Download
  • Privacy and Terms

© 2023 · CBB Media LLC