Samuel AndersonManaging Partner, BevAssets, LLC · Just Pick Up The Phone 📞 | Joy 🦋 | Empowering individuals through meaningful connections, one person at a time.

DrinkUp Daily Industry Brief #winning #motivation #beverages

2 Jan 2026 · 1 min

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In this daily Drink Up Podcast episode released on January 2, 2026, host Samuel Anderson provides a concise industry brief for the beverage sector, emphasizing that the narrative of a "death of alcohol" is inaccurate; instead, the market is undergoing an adjustment. He notes that core beer and wine categories face pressure, with major light lagers (Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite) lagging behind overall beer volume growth. The episode argues that suppliers and distributors should not abandon beer but focus on growth drivers: Mexican import beers, flavor‑forward line extensions, improved packaging, and on‑premise programs designed to make beer a compelling choice again. The brief is aimed at brands, distributors, and operators seeking actionable insights on how breweries, distillers, and non‑alcoholic players are adapting to keep consumers within their ecosystems.

Chapters

Welcome to the Drink Up Podcast, daily industry brief where we break down what's happening in the beverage business and what it actually means for brands, distributors, and operators. Kicking off January 2nd, 2026, the story isn't death of alcohol, it's adjustment. Core beer and wine are under pressure, but breweries, distillers, and NA players are all working to keep drinkers in their ecosystems, just in different ways. First, beer's 2026 challenge is crystal clear. Big light lagers like Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Lite are still trailing the overall beer category in in volume. The category's looking for a turnaround after years of share leakage. The takeaway for suppliers and distributors isn't walk away from beer; it's double down on what's actually moving: Mexican imports, flavor-forward line extensions, better packaging, and on-premise programs that make beer feel like the obvious call again, not the default.