E-Malt.com News article: USA: Beer sales in convenience stores up 2.1% in August

Convenience store sales of beer increased 2.1% in dollar terms in the four weeks ended Aug. 31, according to Nielson data, Barron’s reported on September 20.

That compares to a 1.9% increase last period and 1.5% rise over the last 52 weeks, notes Citigroup’s Vivien Azer, a good showing, considering challenging year-over-year numbers.

She writes that volumes declined for the eighth consecutive month, but looking forward, comparable sales for convenience stores should get easier in the last quarter of the year, given light 2012 volume growth. However, consumers still seem very price sensitive.

Molson Coors’ MillerCoors JV posted a 3.4% volume decline in the period (vs. 3.3% last period and -2.5% over the last 52 weeks). As such, the company’s volume share was down for the fifth consecutive month. Dollar sales were down 1.8% YoY (vs. -1.8% last period and -0.6% over the last 52 weeks), as the company saw a 1.7 pt benefit from price/mix (vs. 1.5 pts last period and 2.0 pts over the last 52 weeks).

Constellation Brands’ Crown Imports continued its relative outperformance, posting dollar sales growth of 14.3% YoY (vs. +16.0% last period and +13.4% over the last 52 weeks). Volumes were the key driver once again, +15.0% in the period (vs. +16.7% last period and +13.3% over the last 52 weeks), as Crown saw a 0.7 pt drag from price/mix (vs. a 0.7 pt drag last period and a 0.1 pt benefit over the last 52 weeks).

Boston Beer saw its dollar sales grow 7.6% (on a +23.4% comp), a deceleration from the 15.3% growth that that observed in the prior period and the 13.8% growth seen over the past 52 weeks. The company’s dollar sales growth in the period was driven entirely by a 7.9% YoY increase in volumes (vs. +15.0% last period and +12.5% over the last 52 weeks), as price/mix acted as a 0.3 pt drag (vs. a 0.3 pt benefit last period and a 1.3 pt benefit over the last 52 weeks).


25 September, 2013