Beer demand weakens, Corona and Modelo vendor says

For the primary time, extra craft beer breweries are shutting down than opening up, based on the Brewers Affiliation.

Constellation Manufacturers lowered its outlook for its present fiscal 12 months as client demand for beer weakened, notably for high-end beer purchases, amid a “challenging” financial local weather.

Constellation, which is the U.S. importer of Corona and Modelo, revised its web gross sales forecast for beer downward to a decline of two% to 4%, after its prior outlook confirmed development being flat to optimistic within the 0% to three% vary. It cited incremental macroeconomic headwinds affecting client demand as the important thing driver of the change.

The corporate’s working earnings for beer was additionally revised right down to a decline of seven% to 9% when its prior outlook confirmed positive factors within the 0% to 2% vary. The influence of decrease volumes, extra tariffs and working deleveraging have been cited as driving the shift.

“We continue to navigate a challenging macroeconomic environment that has dampened consumer demand and led to more volatile consumer purchasing behavior since our first quarter of fiscal 2026,” stated Constellation Manufacturers CEO Invoice Newlands. 

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Constellation Manufacturers stated gross sales of beers like Corona and Modelo have slumped, inflicting it to chop its outlook. (Kevin Carter/Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)

“Over the last several months, high-end beer buy rates decelerated sequentially, as both trip frequency and spend per trip declined,” Newlands stated. 

“Notably, high-end beer buy rate declines for Hispanic consumers were more pronounced than general market declines, which has an outsized impact on our beer business compared to the broader beer category,” he added.

Bump Williams, CEO of Bump Williams Consulting, advised FOX Enterprise that the primary causes behind the decline in beer consumption have been the rise in well being issues concerning the influence of ingesting, fewer social gatherings at public venues the place beer is offered, in addition to shoppers reaching the authorized ingesting age who’re extra excited about natural, pure merchandise like hashish and well being drinks.

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Modelo Especial beers are among the many key choices in Constellation’s portfolio. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)

“All beer brands are suffering from these distractions, but the biggest volume/share decliners are the older, legacy brands like Bud, Miller, and Coors (Coors Banquet is an exception) that have the most volume to lose,” Williams stated. “Beer brands with flavor (Twisted Tea, Mike’s Hard, Smirnoff Ice), healthier attributes (Michelob Ultra, EIGHT, Yuengling Flight) and non-alcoholic brands (Michelob Ultra ZERO, Heineken 0.0 and Athletic’s portfolio) are finding ways to win.”

Ticker Safety Final Change Change % STZ CONSTELLATION BRANDS INC. 151.26 -10.68
-6.60%

Williams stated that within the case of Constellation’s main manufacturers like Corona and Modelo, the loss or decline of enterprise from Hispanic household consumers has “negatively impacted the Constellation portfolio due to its affinity with the Mexican family.”

“Constellation has been winning at retail with Pacifico, Corona Premier, Sun Brew, Victoria and Familiar; but not enough gains from these winners to offset the losses of their bigger brands,” he added.

Legacy beer manufacturers together with Bud and Coors have seen the largest declines in gross sales quantity, Williams stated. (Alex Tai/SOPA Pictures/LightRocket by way of Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)

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Financial components have additionally contributed to the decline in beer gross sales, with Williams saying that beer manufacturers have been failing to draw extra consumers, getting consumers to purchase extra often or buy extra merchandise.

“Consumers are feeling the pinch of higher prices at retail, not just for beer, but across the entire consumer packaged goods industry. Beer has always been labeled as an ‘affordable luxury’ but when it comes to paying $40 per case for your favorite beer brand, that just seems to be the pinch-point,” he stated.

“What we have seen is the consumer trading down in size from 24- or 30-packs to smaller packages like single-serve offerings and 12-packs. It’s a way for consumers to enjoy their favorite beer at an affordable price point,” he stated.

Fewer social gatherings are among the many components contributing to the decline in beer gross sales. (Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)

Williams stated that buyers pivoting away from beer have turned to all kinds of alternate options, starting from drinks that tout well being advantages, power drinks, spirits and cannabis-derived refreshments.

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“What I think ails beer the most: we are losing consumers to energy drinks, water, pre/post/pro-biotics, healthier beverages, all-natural juices, vitamin-enriched recovery drinks, low-carb/low-calorie/ less-sugar drinks and gluten-free alternatives,” he stated.

“The biggest gainer of lost beer shoppers has been the spirits-based ready-to-drink business led by Surfside, Sun Cruiser, VMC, NUTRL, Cutwater, High Noon and a myriad of other players,” Williams stated. “The other big winner is cannabis/THC drinks and I think this particular offering has a long road of growth ahead of it.”