HEAVY HITTER ON PREMISE
LIGHT BEER IS A
Flexibility and low-caloric appeal keep light a strong presence on premise. By Lucy Saunders
L
ight beer is the most widely consumed style of American brew, beloved by national sports promotions from baseball to wrestling and one of the top styles of beer sold at nearly
every bar and restaurant near universities and colleges. Served ice cold, often in frosty glasses, light beer has classically been promoted by operators as the most refreshing of beers. Yet last year found total sales of the 10 leading brands of
light beer lagging by two percent according to the Beverage Information Group, Cheers’ parent company. Sales of bottled light beer on premise dropped from 1.496 million cases in 2009 to 1.466 million cases in 2010. Th e top ten brands include Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Natural Light, Busch Light, Miller High Life, Keystone Light, Michelob Ultra, Bud Light Lime and Milwaukee’s Best Light. Certainly, the slower growth in the hospitality sector and
overall economic slump contributed to the dip. A few standouts included sales of Keystone Light, up 3.9 percent, and Coors Light, up one percent over 2009. Merchandising and promotional support of the brands may
well have fi gured in those sales increases. MillerCoors invested heavily in promotions between 2009 and 2010. Keystone Light
38 | MAY 2011 www.cheersonline.com
