As part of our ongoing tracking of the industry, the Beverage Information Group surveys our readers quarterly, collecting trends/sentiment data from distributors, on-premise and off-premise operators. Our most recent study, conducted in January 2026, indicates that craft beer is showing some strength.
Among the on-premise respondents, craft beer tied with whiskey as the categories whose increase in sales is most impacting business right now. The plurality of on-premise survey participants (24%) said that craft beer was the category they would expand menu space for right now if they could.
For off-premise operators, ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages was the category whose increase in sales is most impacting business right now, but craft beer was second. What category would retail respondents expand shelf space for at the moment? THC/CBD drinks, followed closely by RTDs, which are by far generating the most buzz for retailers.
RTDs are catching on at restaurants, too. They tied with whiskey as the on-premise category generating the most buzz, behind tequila. And while vodka isn’t generate too much excitement, it’s still paying the bills off-premise, as the plurality of retail respondents (32%) said it was the most popular spirit sold at their store during the previous quarter
The majority of both on- and off-premise respondents said that the economy hurt traffic during the previous quarter, while weather was the next factor that had an adverse affect on traffic. The holidays helped beverage sales for both the retailers and restaurants during the quarter.
Sixty-five percent of restaurants would characterize their most recent quarterly beverage sales as on plan, vs. 40% of the retailers. Half of the retailers would characterize their most recent quarterly beverage sales as below plan, vs. 26% of the restaurants, and 10% of both on- and off-premise segments said that sales were above plan.
The percentage of store respondents saying that customers are buying less overall inched up from 58% the previous quarter to 63%, while for on-premise respondents it fell slightly from 49% to 45%. More retailers (55%) reported increased consumer price sensitivity for the quarter, compared to 39% o the restaurants.
For more information about our beverage reader surveys and for pricing information about adding questions to upcoming surveys, contact Debbie Rittenberg at drittenberg@epgacceleration.com.