Closing the gap

In 2007 the sales growth gap between beer and spirits narrowed which is good news for the beer industry.

Beverage Markets Insight, a market research company, reports that spirits’ shipments grew between 2 percent and 2.5 percent in 2007 versus a 4 percent growth in 2006. Beer shipments have increased 1 percent to 2 percent in 2007 versus 2 percent in 2006.

Anheuser-Busch’s announcement was thus in line with market estimates. The St. Louis brewer said that U.S. shipments to wholesalers were 104.4 million barrels in 2007 — up 2.1 million barrels or 2 percent over 2006, but nearly all of that growth (1.7 percent) was due to acquired and import brands. Sales of the domestic staples like Budweiser and Bud remained stuck in neutral.