Flavorful, super-premium products provided the rocket fuel that increased the rest of Mark Anthony’s portfolio by 20 percent in 2020.
Flavorful, super-premium products provided the rocket fuel that increased the rest of Mark Anthony’s portfolio by 20 percent in 2020.
What company…
- Has posted growth for five consecutive years?
- Was one of the only large breweries to grow share in 2020?
- Produces premium ready-to-drink cocktails for every consumer and occasion?
Did you guess Mark Anthony Brands (MAB), the maker of White Claw? This FMB powerhouse was up 93.6% in dollar sales YTD in September, despite COVID and out-of-stock challenges, which have been addressed with the addition of three new production facilities and a contract for six billion 12 oz. slim cans.
A lot of that growth is thanks to White Claw, which commands a stunning 51% of all hard seltzer sales. The fizzy behemoth has transformed the industry, but even without White Claw, the other brand families in the portfolio were up 20% in 2020. In fact, all five MAB brand families grew last year! That’s not unheard of, but it’s noteworthy considering all of last year’s challenges. According to MAB president Phil Rosse, the secret to the company’s success is simple: Flavor.
“Flavor is our business,” says Rosse. “We want to continue to be the company that delivers quality products to consumers at the experiences and activities where they enjoy them.” Besides, flavor is the number one driver of sales and it’s transforming the beer industry.
FMBs and hard seltzers are the hottest thing in beer – vaulting from the 6th largest segment in 2016 to #2 in 2020 – and MAB has built an FMB empire that harnesses consumers’ desires for premium products that provide exceptional flavor and convenience, two dominant consumer mega-trends. There’s Mike’s Hard Lemonade (up 13% YTD), which propelled FMBs to new heights by appealing equally to men and women. And even after 20 years, Mike’s is still the king – nationally, it’s the #1 FMB brand in sales velocity, awareness & trial and repeat purchase rate.
Mike’s in-your-face little brother, Mike’s HARDER, has 8% ABV for Mike’s lovers looking for a bigger kick. Up 16% YTD, HARDER is the #1 FMB single and #3 beer single brand. It dominates in convenience.
Then there’s Cayman Jack, the premium RTD that’s extremely popular with the younger, LDA multicultural consumer. Available in Moscow Mule, Margarita and Cuban Mojito flavors, Cayman Jack features high-end ingredients, like blue agave and organic lime juice, and has seen six consecutive years of at least 20% growth – up 88% YTD in November.
And don’t forget MXD, MAB’s line of RTD, 12% ABV premium cocktails. The “pre-MXD” cocktails sell better when all four flavors (Margarita, Long Island Iced Tea, Mai Tai and Strawberry Daiquiri) are on the shelf, by an average velocity per SKU that is 30% faster! No wonder the brand is up 38% YTD overall and +75% YTD in Pennsylvania – making PA the #1 MXD state!
Can MAB’s massive success continue as the pandemic ebbs? MAB believes it will reach a 10 share of total beer in 2021, a meteoric rise from the 1 share the company held in 2017. With a portfolio packed full of flavor, they are primed for another explosive year!