TRIP REPORT

The Boston Beer Co . team .

by KYLE SWARTZ

The U . S . beer industry remains in a state of uncertainty and transition , as old staples shrink and new opportunities emerge , in line with shifting consumer tastes . Such was the picture painted by the 86th Annual National Beer Wholesalers Association Convention and Trade Show , which occurred this October at Caesar ’ s Palace in Las Vegas .

Around 2,600 beer distributors and industry stakeholders from across the country descended upon the sparkling desert city for the multi-day event . Outgoing Chairman of the Board Gordon Green opened his remarks by addressing the Bud Light-shaped elephant in the room .

“ The challenges of the nation ’ s largest beer brand have directly and seriously impacted many of our distributor businesses and employees ,” Green said . “ Attacks in the media , threats against employees and workplace safety challenges have shaken our industry to its core . And even those of us who don ’ t carry that brand have also been affected as we face a decline in beer ’ s slice of the alcohol beverage pie .”

“ All of this is happening against the backdrop of ongoing pressure from suppliers , including terminations without cause , big soda ’ s continued entry into alcohol , the expansion of the canned cocktail spirits category , constant attacks on the threetier system and the changing preferences of our consumers ,” he added .

These observations , that beer faces significant issues beyond the Bud Light / Dylan Mulvaney marketing fiasco , remained the central theme throughout the conference . Incoming Chairman Jim Fabiano listed additional issues in his remarks .

“ Liquor continues to see growth , with Ready-To-Drink canned spirits gaining

Top : Incoming NBWA Chairman Jim Fabiano . Bottom : Outgoing NBWA Chairman Gordon Green .

shelf space and popularity ,” Fabiano said . “ Distillers seek to capitalize on these trends by upending decades of bipartisan consensus on the clear differences between beer , wine and liquor . Now I know none of us are afraid of some honest competition . But let me ask you a question : Why should liquor in a can be taxed differently than liquor in a glass ? Thanks to the NBWA , that message is reverberating throughout federal and state legislatures .”

“ Nor do everyday people want their mail carrier to be in charge of maintaining public health , yet that is exactly what is being proposed across the country through direct-to-consumer bills , which undermine the legal foundations of our three-tier system ,” he added later in his speech . “ It sometimes feels like a bad game of Whac-A-Mole , the way these bills keep popping up and we fight to push them down . Fortunately , federal efforts have been stopped in their tracks thanks to NBWA ’ s work to educate policymakers on these flawed proposals . NBWA ’ s team continues to deliver political vic-

6 Beverage Wholesaler • Winter 2023 www . beveragewholesaler . com