NBWA Beer Purchasers' Index Gloomy, But 3 Segments Higher

Heading into the final months of 2022, there is a pessimistic outlook throughout the industry, the National Beer Wholesalers Association said in releasing its Beer Purchasers' Index for November.

The November BPI shows a low reading of 38 and the “at-risk” inventory index is relatively higher at 49. This continuation of lower BPI readings and low “at-risk” inventory are indicative of lower expected sales following fall price increases, news of increasing layoffs and a general slowing of the U.S. economy.

But there were notes of hope in the report.  To begin with, The below premium index at 47 is significantly higher than the November 2021 reading of 29 and continues to be the only segment to report a higher reading over the 2021 indexes.  This higher reading would be expected given the tremendous toll inflation is taking on working American families.  

The only other positive was the imports index which continues to point to expanding volumes for this segment with a reading of 59 in November 2022. But it's not all good news:  This is a lower reading relative to the November 2021 reading, which was 68.

Everything else is gloom-and-doom:

• The craft index at 25 is well below the November 2021 reading of 47.
• The premiumlights index posted a reading of 41 below the November 2021 reading of 54.
• The premium regular index at 30 is below the November 2021 reading of 38.  
• The FMB/seltzer index continues to contract, falling to 16 in November 2022 from a November 2021 reading of 31.
• Finally, the cider index reports a November 2022 index of 28 compared to 32 in November 2021.