For the first time since its disastrous alliance with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, market leader Anheuser-Busch is facing an undeniable threat to its sales figures. According to the latest NielsenIQ data, Modelo Especial has unseated Bud Light as America’s best-selling beer.
The data reveals Bud Light sales in off-premise locations such as grocery stores and gas stations dropped an alarming 15.9 percent on a dollar basis and 20.1 percent on a volume basis since May. Modelo has been steadily outpacing its rival, boasting a 10.3 percent increase in sales and a 9.6 percent rise in volume during the same period, bringing its total share of beer sales in the US to 8.4 percent. A report by Bump Williams Consulting adds that Modelo is also grabbing more shelf space from retailers to capitalize on its newfound success.
The brewing conflict has had a ripple effect across Anheuser-Busch’s brands, with Michelob Ultra’s sales also declining 10.3 percent over the same period. On the other hand, Michelob Ultra has seen a 0.4 percent increase in recent weeks, raising its total sales slightly.
Bud Light parent company Anheuser-Busch laid off hundreds of U.S. workers after Bud Light sales declined for months following a collaboration between Bud Light and transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. https://t.co/v0nwCZRpKb
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) July 28, 2023
To add to Anheuser-Busch’s woes, Breitbart News recently revealed that hundreds of people in the US have been laid off as a result of the Bud Light boycott. However, a representative for the company has stated that the lay-offs have been part of a planned restructuring of its operations “that was already in the works” long before the scandal.
In any case, the latest sales figures have put pressure on Anheuser-Busch to reverse its fortunes, with the company turning to its marketing strategy in an attempt to repair the damage. But the task at hand is not an easy one, and the company will need to win back consumers’ trust if it hopes to capture its lost market share.
If it fails to do so, then Anheuser-Busch can wave goodbye to its comfortable throne as America’s top beer, with Modelo all too ready to take its place.