Weekly Beverage Alcohol Recap | August 21, 2026

- **Record-low participation and volume declines**: Gallup 54% adult drinking (Lydia Saad); NIQ off-premise $8.5bn -3.6%, volume -5.4% (Aug 8 four weeks); beer volumes -4.4% to -6.3%; wine dollars up, cases down ~7%.

- **World Cup miss**: ABI $110m Michelob Ultra spend, Doukeris 0.25% lift; Circana/BeerBoard/BMI data show no category rescue; spirits RTDs (Cutwater, Surfside, Sun Cruiser) captured occasions.

- **Diageo reset**: Uncompetitive North America; $19.6bn sales -2-3% organic, profit -27%; $1.2bn restructuring, ~2,000 headcount cut, possible 3-5k more jobs; dividend halved; RTD tilt, Smirnoff/Captain Morgan reinvestment; India flavouring reformulation (Antiquity Blue, Royal Challenge, McDowell’s).

- **Leadership and M&A**: Boston Beer CFO Reynoso to Ingredion (Murphy interim); Precept acquires Miller Family (Butternut etc.); Campari sells Martinique rums to Les Bienheureux; Sazerac in talks for Au Vodka (~£500m); Ardagh Metal Packaging stake sale; C&S majority of Winn-Dixie; TWE activist Foye, Americas EBIT collapse, US review.

- **Wine production and regulation**: Napa Winery Definition Ordinance 23 proposed changes; Oregon A to Z/Erath/Rex Hill production -32%; mothballing in Mendocino/Sonoma/Lake; Pierce’s disease resurgence and hybrids (Ojai, UC Davis); stainless tanks 42.5% share; ACS cancels Wine & Spirits Gala.

- **Labor, theft, politics**: Teamsters contracts at Breakthru (Cicero/St. Louis) and Southern Glazer’s NY (30% wages); Boston Beer Jamaica Plain union petition (UFCW 328); NC ABC warehouse stalemate (Bauer vs Hall/Berger); cargo theft $200m+ rail incidents, House bill (Valadao); Mexican beer tariff poll 3-to-1 support (McLaughlin, Teamsters O’Brien).

- **Consumer nuance**: Gen Z participation rebound (IWSR 74%, Morning Consult frequency up) vs isolation (ATUS 1-in-10 young adults zero face-to-face time); NA beer/wine/spirits growth; 17% tried NA alternatives (Gallup); Jefferies 27 headwinds, screen time (Asahi CEO).

- **Craft and vendors**: BA 4% H1 decline but 54% growing; Voodoo Ranger G-Force, Sierra Nevada Go-Two IPA; distributors de-emphasizing craft, adding RTDs/NA; Sonoma Cast Stone, G3, BevZero, Uncle Nearest receivership.

- **Big takeaway**: Volume is the problem; price/mix, RTDs, NA, and select brands (Michelob, Pacifico, Cutwater, Josh, La Marca) are the offset. Diageo’s America-first turnaround plus labor, theft, and reputational pressures reshape access and risk into 2027