Alcohol sales outside of bars and restaurants surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the increase was driven largely by hard liquor, total sales of beer and flavored alcoholic beverages such as hard seltzer, also jumped. These are 25 companies making the most money from coronavirus.
Not all beer brands benefited from the rising demand for alcohol, however. In fact, many of the most historically dominant brands actually reported a decline in sales from 2019 to 2020.
Using data from industry advocacy group, Beer Marketer’s Insights, 24/7 Wall St. identified Americas fastest shrinking beer brands, and the 7 that are still growing. Brands are ranked on the change in shipment volume between 2019 and 2020. We only considered beer brands that shipped at least 1 million barrels in 2019. Bud Light Seltzer was excluded from the analysis due to a lack of data.
The brands that reported the strongest growth over the past year include some long established names in American beer, as well as some relatively new names. These brands include light beers, imported beers, and hard seltzers — two of which reported 2020 sales figures more than double the previous year’s sales.
Regardless of how much more or less the brands on this list sold in 2020 compared to 2019, they are all dominant in the U.S. beer market, accounting for over 70% of the 208.3 million barrels sold last year. Additionally, most of these beer brands are owned by one of only two companies: Anheuser-Busch In Bev and Molson Coors Beverage Company, which together account for a combined 63% of the North American beer market. Here is a look at the world’s 15 most valuable alcohol companies.
Click here to see Americas fastest shrinking beer brands, and the 7 that are still growing.
1. Truly
> Sales change (2019-2020): +131.9% (+2.2 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.9 million
> Market share: 1.8%
> Parent company: The Boston Beer Company, Inc.
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2. White Claw
> Sales change (2019-2020): +119.8% (+3.9 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 7.1 million
> Market share: 3.4%
> Parent company: Mark Anthony Brands International
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3. Twisted Tea
> Sales change (2019-2020): +23.6% (+260,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.4 million
> Market share: 0.7%
> Parent company: The Boston Beer Company, Inc.
4. Busch Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): +15.1% (+950,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 7.3 million
> Market share: 3.5%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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5. Michelob Ultra
> Sales change (2019-2020): +13.7% (+1.4 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 11.6 million
> Market share: 5.6%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
6. Modelo Especial
> Sales change (2019-2020): +11.5% (+1.1 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 10.4 million
> Market share: 5.0%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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7. Heineken
> Sales change (2019-2020): +0.7% (+25,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.7 million
> Market share: 1.8%
> Parent company: Heineken N.V.
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8. Corona Extra
> Sales change (2019-2020): -1.2% (-100,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 8.0 million
> Market share: 3.8%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
9. Natural Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -2.3% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 6.5 million
> Market share: 3.1%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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10. Miller Lite
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.6% (-450,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 11.9 million
> Market share: 5.7%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
11. Coors Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.8% (-525,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 13.5 million
> Market share: 6.5%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
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12. Budweiser
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.8% (-400,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 10.2 million
> Market share: 4.9%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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13. Blue Moon
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.8% (-75,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
14. Bud Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -5.1% (-1.4 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 25.8 million
> Market share: 12.4%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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15. Keystone Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -5.6% (-185,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.1 million
> Market share: 1.5%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
16. Steel Reserve
> Sales change (2019-2020): -6.5% (-100,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.5 million
> Market share: 0.7%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
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17. Natural Ice
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.3% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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18. Icehouse
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.3% (-95,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.2 million
> Market share: 0.6%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
19. Yuengling Lager
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.5% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: D. G. Yuengling & Son
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20. Coors Banquet
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.5% (-115,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.4 million
> Market share: 0.7%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
21. Dos Equis
> Sales change (2019-2020): -8.1% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.7 million
> Market share: 0.8%
> Parent company: Heineken N.V.
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22. Busch
> Sales change (2019-2020): -9.1% (-350,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.5 million
> Market share: 1.7%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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23. Stella Artois
> Sales change (2019-2020): -10.0% (-265,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 2.4 million
> Market share: 1.1%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
24. Miller High Life
> Sales change (2019-2020): -11.7% (-350,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 2.7 million
> Market share: 1.3%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
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25. Guinness
> Sales change (2019-2020): -12.5% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.1 million
> Market share: 0.5%
> Parent company: Diageo
26. Pabst Blue Ribbon
> Sales change (2019-2020): -13.6% (-300,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: Pabst Brewing Company
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27. Bud Ice
> Sales change (2019-2020): -14.4% (-350,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 2.1 million
> Market share: 1.0%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
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