Weekly Beverage Alcohol Recap | April 24, 2026

**Week of April 20–24, 2026**

### Key Themes

- **Federal cannabis rescheduling** from Schedule I to Schedule III — the most significant US cannabis policy shift since state legalization began, with immediate financial implications for multi-state operators (Trulieve, Curaleaf, Verano, Green Thumb Industries) totaling ~$2B in potential 280E tax relief

- **Brown-Forman M&A battle** between Sazerac ($15B all-cash bid) and Pernod Ricard (80% stock / 20% cash merger of equals) — Brown family reportedly favors Pernod for strategic distribution access and greater ownership influence

- **Premiumization reversal confirmed** by IWSR: super-premium spirits value down 15% in 2025; total spirits value down 9%; first time volume outperformed value globally

- **Craft beer contraction deepens** — 5% production decline in 2025, 1,072 closures in two years — but early 2026 scan data signals potential stabilization

- **Consumer trade-down behavior accelerating** — pregaming revival, miniature bottle boom, and on-premise cost avoidance reshaping product demand

### Notable Stories

- **Tilray acquires BrewDog** for £33M out of administration (peak valuation: £2B); creditors owed £553.8M; plans for US expansion

- **Stone Brewing acquired by Duvel Moortgat USA / Firestone Walker** from Sapporo, which took a $91M goodwill impairment

- **Mark Anthony Group (White Claw) acquires Finnish Long Drink** — entering spirits-based RTD segment; FLD at $107.2M in off-premise sales (+23.2% YoY)

- **Pernod Ricard Q3**: US sales -12%; total organic +0.1%; exploring India subsidiary IPO that could improve Brown-Forman deal mechanics

- **KDP Q1 beat**: Adj. EPS $0.39 vs $0.37 consensus; US Refreshment Beverages +11.9% CC; Ghost brand contributing ~2pts; shares +7.5%

- **Heineken Q1**: US beer volumes declined mid-single digits on weak consumer sentiment

- **Diageo opens $415M Alabama manufacturing complex** — major US supply chain investment

- **Mississippi ABC distribution crisis**: 172,000+ cases backlogged, 25-day delivery times, panic buying, privatization debate intensifying

- **RNDC closes South Carolina facility** — 451 layoffs; major distribution tier disruption

- **East Coast frost devastation**: worst in a decade; PA vineyards reporting 70% bud destruction; VA seeing 80-90% crop loss

- **Treasury Wine Estates Americas**: US volume +9.1% in FQ3; restructuring to regional operations; shares +17%

- **Lofted Spirits (Bardstown Bourbon / Green River)**: brands +44% in 2025 but contract production scaling back; leadership change

- **Home distillation circuit split**: Fifth Circuit strikes down 1868 ban, Sixth Circuit upholds it — Supreme Court appeal expected

- **Hemp beverage regulatory deadline**: November 13, 2026 federal ban looming; multiple competing legislative proposals

- **North Carolina "Operation High Octane"**: 28 criminal summonses for illegal rare bourbon secondary market; four lobbyists indicted separately

- **$97M wine fraud conviction**: UK national sentenced to 10 years for fictitious Bordeaux Cellars investment scheme

- **California AB 1585** advances: would require "American" labeled wines to use 100% American-grown grapes

### Market Data Snapshot (4 weeks ending April 11, NIQ)

- **Total beverage alcohol**: -0.6% dollars / -1.3% volume

- **Beer**: flat dollars / -1.5% volume

- **Spirits**: -4.5% dollars / -3.9% volume

- **Wine**: -1.1% dollars / -2.8% volume

- **Prepared cocktails/RTD**: +6.7% dollars / +2.0% volume (sole growth category)

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### Personnel Moves

- **Jack Edwards** ? SVP & Chief Sales Officer, Constellation Brands Beer Division (eff. May 18)

- **Barry Thompson** ? East Region President, Breakthru Beverage Group (eff. May 1)

- **Chris Miller** ? retiring, EVP Sales, Terlato Wine Group

- **Pete Marino** ? departing as President, Lofted Spirits (eff. end of June)

- **Bennett Glazer** ? passed away April 20; WSWA Executive Vice Chairman; architect of Southern Glazer's creation