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[BND] Kane's Beverage News Daily

Good Morning, and Happy Friday, July 31, 2026

AB-Inbev 2Q Profit Soars 64% as Sales Gain 5.6%, Volume Up 0.9%

Anheuser-Busch InBev reports profit soared 64.1%% to $3.751 billion, or $1.90 a share, from 1.676, or 84 cents a share, a year earlier. Beer sales rose to 126,945 billion gallons in 2026 from 143.347 billion gallons a year earlier.

The company reported a 27% increase in revenue from no-alcohol beer sales, Beyond Beer sales jumped 44% in the second quarter. Volume rose 0.9% to 144,003 barrels, and revenue gained 5.6% to $16.660 billion. The company said it estimates it gained market share in . . .

Beckstoffer Pulling Over 50% of North Coast Vines

Beckstoffer Vineyards plans to pull more than half its vines in Lake and Mendocino counties, California, as it plans to farm just 1,940acres, a sharp reduction from the approximately 4,000 acres it farmed at its high point. The company said it laid off 50 of its 65 employees. Beckstoffer, of course, isn't the only grower to pull out vines. A report commissioned by the California Association of Winegrape Growers shows more than 38,000 acres of vineyards were removed between Oct. 1, 2024 and Aug.

Wine Leaders: Industry is Stabilizing, But Stabilizing Just 1st Step to Recovery

Vineyard removals such as Beckstoffer Vineyards is doing is one reason industry leaders say the industry is finally resetting itself. Other signs: slowing sales declines, sharper financial discipline and a shift from denial to action.

Beer Industry in Expansion Territory: NBWA Beer Purchasers' Index

For the fifth consecutive month, the National Beer Wholesalers Association's Beer Purchasers' Index is in positive territory with a combined score of 51. Readings about 50 are considered to signal expansion. All segments recorded year-over-year improvements, led by FMB/seltzer (+16) and Premium Lights (+14). Premium Lights crossed the 50 benchmark for just the third time in the last two years. Looking across the segments for July: * The FMB/seltzer index at 55 is 16 points higher than July 2

U.S. GDP Disappoints, Inflation Softer Than Feared, Consumers Resiliant

The U.S. economy expanded at a slower-than-expected 1.5% annual rate in the second quarter. But a closer look show a resiliant consumer, continuing investment and softer-than-expected inflation numbers, all adding up to a further cooling in expectations the Federal Reserve Board will raise interest rates. Consumer demand grew 3.2% annualized vs. 0.5% in the first quarter, but this came with a further decline in the household savings ratio of just 2.7%. Investment continued to grow.

What It Took for Ads to Break Through at the 2026 World Cup

The most effective ads moved beyond the traditional "on the field" and "sports bar" setting and leverage distinctive product iconography, according to Ipsos research. The landscape for attention in the World Cup is different from other major sporting events. In that highly competitive environment, many World Cup ads had star power, but few were truly distinctive, leading to below-average recognition and brand linkage. As the 2026 World Cup progressed, more Americans jumped on the bandwagon and

David Hirsch, Sonoma Coast Pioneer, Dies at 81

David Hirsch founded Hirsch Vineyards when the foggy Sonoma Coast was considered unsuitable for viticulture. Hirsch Vineyards has supplied grapes to Williams Selyem, Kistler and Littorai — helping catapult the remote wine region to global acclaim. Read Jess Lander's excellent obituary from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Share & Pair Sundays, a project of Come Together- A Community for Wine Inc., earned national media coverage and grew its social media presence over the course of the ten-week from May 3 through June 28 run. Results included: * 13,040 winery events during the two-month period according to LocalWineEvents.com * 983 million plus total media unique visitors (January through June 2026)201 articles published * Coverage in Yahoo Life, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Slate, VinePair, Associated Press and Win

Center for Alcohol Policy Legal Symposium Set for Aug. 24-26

The Center for Alcohol Policy's annual legal symposium will get underway with a reception Monday, Aug. 24. The program on Tuesday and a half-day session on Wednesday will include antitrust and pricing, THC and alcohol, trade practice, stolen alcohol, briefing from regulators, pending Suprme court cases (of which there are several), and more. For info and to register, click here.

What I'm Reading --

Numbers in brand names make consumers expect tastier food (Pasychology & Marketing) *
Where Have All the Buybacks Gone? Under economic constraints, dives and neighborhood bars

Thanks for reading. I'll be back Monday. – Joel

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