danno
11-01-2004, 03:15 PM
good news for craft beer lovers... (and a bit of schadenfreude for Bud. teehee :D)
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/business/10051728.htm (may require registration, here's some of the relevant paragraphs)
"Minnesotans are continuing to drink less beer, based on beer shipment data for the first half of 2004, but when they do hoist a cold one they continue to support local brews and old world-style recipes from the so-called craft brewers.
Total beer sales in Minnesota declined by 1.4 percent — or 26,934 barrels — in the first six months this year compared with the same period in 2003, based on state tax data tracked by the Minnesota Beer Wholesalers Association. Beer consumption also declined in 2003 from the previous year.
Reversing trends of recent years, market leader Anheuser-Busch lost 2 percent of the Minnesota market from January through July, as its shipments dropped by 5 percent, or 43,268 barrels. The maker of Budweiser, Busch and Michelob brands still commands slightly more than 43 percent of the state's market, however.
Miller Brewing, the nation's No. 2 beer maker and former leader in Minnesota, reversed its slippage in the Minnesota market and gained two percentage points, to 28.6 percent of the market, by selling 28,593 additional barrels in the first six months.
Summit Brewing and Cold Spring's Reflo/Gluek brewers continued to gain share while New Ulm's August Schell Brewing had a slight downturn. The latter, however, reflects a period of adjustment to a strong first half a year ago when Schell doubled production by brewing the Grain Belt line of products acquired from the defunct Minnesota Brewing.
Ted Marti, president of Schell, said the first few months were slow this year but sales have picked up since. Grain Belt sales are up 10 percent through the first nine months, and Schell product sales are up 2 percent, he said.
Both Schell and Summit now project sales gains of around 8 percent this year for their breweries, providing a sharp contrast in the industry that is seeing total sales declines."
http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/business/10051728.htm (may require registration, here's some of the relevant paragraphs)
"Minnesotans are continuing to drink less beer, based on beer shipment data for the first half of 2004, but when they do hoist a cold one they continue to support local brews and old world-style recipes from the so-called craft brewers.
Total beer sales in Minnesota declined by 1.4 percent — or 26,934 barrels — in the first six months this year compared with the same period in 2003, based on state tax data tracked by the Minnesota Beer Wholesalers Association. Beer consumption also declined in 2003 from the previous year.
Reversing trends of recent years, market leader Anheuser-Busch lost 2 percent of the Minnesota market from January through July, as its shipments dropped by 5 percent, or 43,268 barrels. The maker of Budweiser, Busch and Michelob brands still commands slightly more than 43 percent of the state's market, however.
Miller Brewing, the nation's No. 2 beer maker and former leader in Minnesota, reversed its slippage in the Minnesota market and gained two percentage points, to 28.6 percent of the market, by selling 28,593 additional barrels in the first six months.
Summit Brewing and Cold Spring's Reflo/Gluek brewers continued to gain share while New Ulm's August Schell Brewing had a slight downturn. The latter, however, reflects a period of adjustment to a strong first half a year ago when Schell doubled production by brewing the Grain Belt line of products acquired from the defunct Minnesota Brewing.
Ted Marti, president of Schell, said the first few months were slow this year but sales have picked up since. Grain Belt sales are up 10 percent through the first nine months, and Schell product sales are up 2 percent, he said.
Both Schell and Summit now project sales gains of around 8 percent this year for their breweries, providing a sharp contrast in the industry that is seeing total sales declines."