Alcohol sales outside of bars and restaurants surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the increase was driven largely by hard liquor, total sales of beer and flavored alcoholic beverages such as hard seltzer, also jumped. These are 25 companies making the most money from coronavirus.
Not all beer brands benefited from the rising demand for alcohol, however. In fact, many of the most historically dominant brands actually reported a decline in sales from 2019 to 2020.
Using data from industry advocacy group, Beer Marketer’s Insights, 24/7 Wall St. identified Americas fastest shrinking beer brands, and the 7 that are still growing. Brands are ranked on the change in shipment volume between 2019 and 2020. We only considered beer brands that shipped at least 1 million barrels in 2019. Bud Light Seltzer was excluded from the analysis due to a lack of data.
The brands that reported the strongest growth over the past year include some long established names in American beer, as well as some relatively new names. These brands include light beers, imported beers, and hard seltzers — two of which reported 2020 sales figures more than double the previous year’s sales.
Regardless of how much more or less the brands on this list sold in 2020 compared to 2019, they are all dominant in the U.S. beer market, accounting for over 70% of the 208.3 million barrels sold last year. Additionally, most of these beer brands are owned by one of only two companies: Anheuser-Busch In Bev and Molson Coors Beverage Company, which together account for a combined 63% of the North American beer market. Here is a look at the world’s 15 most valuable alcohol companies.
Click here to see Americas fastest shrinking beer brands, and the 7 that are still growing.
Source: Rob Kim / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
1. Truly
> Sales change (2019-2020): +131.9% (+2.2 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.9 million
> Market share: 1.8%
> Parent company: The Boston Beer Company, Inc.
[in-text-ad]
Source: Courtesy of White Claw
2. White Claw
> Sales change (2019-2020): +119.8% (+3.9 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 7.1 million
> Market share: 3.4%
> Parent company: Mark Anthony Brands International
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Courtesy of Twisted Tea
3. Twisted Tea
> Sales change (2019-2020): +23.6% (+260,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.4 million
> Market share: 0.7%
> Parent company: The Boston Beer Company, Inc.
Source: Busch Light Fans / Twitter
4. Busch Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): +15.1% (+950,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 7.3 million
> Market share: 3.5%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: michelobultra.com
5. Michelob Ultra
> Sales change (2019-2020): +13.7% (+1.4 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 11.6 million
> Market share: 5.6%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
Source: NoDerog / Getty Images
6. Modelo Especial
> Sales change (2019-2020): +11.5% (+1.1 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 10.4 million
> Market share: 5.0%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
[in-text-ad]
Source: Getty Images / Getty Images
7. Heineken
> Sales change (2019-2020): +0.7% (+25,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.7 million
> Market share: 1.8%
> Parent company: Heineken N.V.
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Scott Olson / Getty Images
8. Corona Extra
> Sales change (2019-2020): -1.2% (-100,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 8.0 million
> Market share: 3.8%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
Source: naturallight.com
9. Natural Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -2.3% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 6.5 million
> Market share: 3.1%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: LPETTET / Getty Images
10. Miller Lite
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.6% (-450,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 11.9 million
> Market share: 5.7%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
Source: coorslight.com
11. Coors Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.8% (-525,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 13.5 million
> Market share: 6.5%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
[in-text-ad]
Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images News via Getty Images
12. Budweiser
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.8% (-400,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 10.2 million
> Market share: 4.9%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/doobybrain/
13. Blue Moon
> Sales change (2019-2020): -3.8% (-75,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images News via Getty Images
14. Bud Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -5.1% (-1.4 million barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 25.8 million
> Market share: 12.4%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: keystonelight.com
15. Keystone Light
> Sales change (2019-2020): -5.6% (-185,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.1 million
> Market share: 1.5%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
Source: Ted Thompson / Flickr
16. Steel Reserve
> Sales change (2019-2020): -6.5% (-100,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.5 million
> Market share: 0.7%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
[in-text-ad]
Source: courtesy of walmart.com
17. Natural Ice
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.3% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
Source: Walmart.com
18. Icehouse
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.3% (-95,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.2 million
> Market share: 0.6%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrseb/
19. Yuengling Lager
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.5% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: D. G. Yuengling & Son
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: walmart.com
20. Coors Banquet
> Sales change (2019-2020): -7.5% (-115,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.4 million
> Market share: 0.7%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
Source: dosequis.com
21. Dos Equis
> Sales change (2019-2020): -8.1% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.7 million
> Market share: 0.8%
> Parent company: Heineken N.V.
[in-text-ad]
Source: buschbucks.com
22. Busch
> Sales change (2019-2020): -9.1% (-350,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 3.5 million
> Market share: 1.7%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Steven Guzzardi / Flickr
23. Stella Artois
> Sales change (2019-2020): -10.0% (-265,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 2.4 million
> Market share: 1.1%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
Source: walmart.com
24. Miller High Life
> Sales change (2019-2020): -11.7% (-350,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 2.7 million
> Market share: 1.3%
> Parent company: Molson Coors Beverage Company
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: kulicki / Getty Images
25. Guinness
> Sales change (2019-2020): -12.5% (-150,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.1 million
> Market share: 0.5%
> Parent company: Diageo
Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images
26. Pabst Blue Ribbon
> Sales change (2019-2020): -13.6% (-300,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 1.9 million
> Market share: 0.9%
> Parent company: Pabst Brewing Company
[in-text-ad]
Source: walmart.com
27. Bud Ice
> Sales change (2019-2020): -14.4% (-350,000 barrels)
> Barrels shipped in 2020: 2.1 million
> Market share: 1.0%
> Parent company: Anheuser-Busch In Bev SA/NV
Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)
Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.
Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.
Click here now to get started.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
