Post-election blues

...but only for some. Anheuser-Busch, Inc., the US beer subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch Cos, has said that fourth-quarter beer shipments to wholesalers decreased 1.5 percent. Wholesaler sales-to-retailers were down 0.3 percent for the full year and decreased 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter. However, for the full-year Anheuser-Busch reportedly managed to increase U.S. beer shipments to wholesalers to 103 million barrels (121 million hl) in 2004 – up 400,000 barrels or 0.4 percent over 2003. Its domestic market share, excluding exports, for the full year 2004 was 49.6 percent, compared with a 2003 market share of 49.7 percent. Meanwhile in Golden, Colorado, ­Coors said its U.S.
For the 13-week quarter ending 26 December 2004, U.S. sales volume to wholesalers increased 4.0 percent..

sales volume and sales to retailers rose during the fourth quarter, helped by strong growth from its Blue Moon and Zima XXX brands.2 percent, while wholesaler sales to retail rose 0.8 percent from the same period a year ago. In the Coors Americas segment, which includes sales in the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia, fourth-quarter sales volume to wholesalers rose 4.2 percent, and wholesaler sales to retail increased 1. Coors’ sales volumes also saw a rise in the quarter thanks to the introduction of Aspen Edge, a low carb beer, earlier this year. Sales to wholesalers outpaced sales to retailers since the company’s distributors were rebuilding inventories to finish the year on par with the previous year, it was reported.