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Flailing Anheuser-Busch Tries New Beers, Intimidation
Newser ^ | 3/29/2012 | Kevin Spak

Posted on 03/29/2012 9:43:21 AM PDT by B Knotts

(NEWSER) – Anheuser-Busch InBev is desperate to turn its sales around. Sure, it's still the biggest beer company in the US, but shipments have fallen for three straight years, thanks to the growing popularity of small, independent craft brewers. But this year Budweiser's got a plan, president of North American operations Luiz Edmond tells the Wall Street Journal: It's going to produce more beers, while leaning on distributors not to carry the competition. Anheuser will introduce 19 new products this year, its biggest rollout since the InBev merger.

Some will aim to compete in the craft market, like additions to its Shock Top line, or boast higher alcohol content, like the 6% Bud Light Platinum, which Edmond calls a "game changer." Still others, like Bud Light Lime-a-Rita, will be malt beverages bearing little resemblance to beer. At the same time, Bud has urged 500 wholesalers to distribute fewer rival beers, warning that it will act against those who don't. An unapologetic Edmond says wholesalers must pick sides, and show "loyalty" to InBev.


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: beer; inbev
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To: B Knotts
Heineken
61 posted on 03/29/2012 11:13:16 AM PDT by ßuddaßudd
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To: Yardstick

“...And Rene Descartes was a drunken fart,
‘I drink, therefore I am.’”


62 posted on 03/29/2012 11:14:25 AM PDT by BrewingFrog (I brew, therefore I am!)
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To: B Knotts

Can’t remember when I last had a Busch brand of beer. Think it was around 1998.


63 posted on 03/29/2012 11:15:23 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: SengirV

I’ll drink to that.


64 posted on 03/29/2012 11:18:53 AM PDT by Fiji Hill (Deo Vindice!)
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To: B Knotts
The natural law of the free market does not apply in fascism. We now have fascism and this corporation is going to give it a test drive. The intimidation market... It is buddies with the labor unions’ worker intimidation market.

mmmm mmmm mmmm, Barack Hussien Obama, mmm mmm mmm

Don't mean to leave the Rinos out of the fascist equation.

65 posted on 03/29/2012 11:22:56 AM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: B Knotts
At the same time, Bud has urged 500 wholesalers to distribute fewer rival beers, warning that it will act against those who don't.

Sounds like an antitrust lawsuit in the making.

66 posted on 03/29/2012 11:23:53 AM PDT by CharacterCounts (November 4, 2008 - the day America drank the Kool-Aid)
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To: CharacterCounts
Last week in St. Louis with a customer, I ordered a Miller.

The waitress asked, “Where you from, hun ?”

67 posted on 03/29/2012 11:27:50 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Beware the Sweater Vest)
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To: CharacterCounts
That is very common in the alcohol market. So common it isn't even remarked on. The growth of the micro brews has been in spite of this.
68 posted on 03/29/2012 11:28:46 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: duffee

St. Pauli Girl Dark is one of my favorites!


69 posted on 03/29/2012 11:30:42 AM PDT by wjcsux ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell)
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To: dfwgator
“If you don’t drink Bud Light.....F You!”

Pretty close to Schlitz' "Drink Schlitz or I'll kill you" ads. Pretty much put them out of business.

70 posted on 03/29/2012 11:34:37 AM PDT by Paine in the Neck (Romney's judicial appointments were more radical than Obama's)
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To: B Knotts

AnBush before InBev ‘leaned’ on distributors for years to keep craft brews out of package stores and customer’s hands. Go watch “Beer Wars” on Netflix for a view into how the big 3 (documentary made before InBev’s purchase,) play.


71 posted on 03/29/2012 11:44:52 AM PDT by ATLDiver
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To: ATLDiver

Sounds interesting. Thanks, I’ll look for that.


72 posted on 03/29/2012 11:54:11 AM PDT by B Knotts (Just another Tenther)
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To: B Knotts

I haven’t had a Bud in decades. I refuse to drink anything “Lite.” I am amazed when I walk into a saloon and see a bunch of tough-looking dudes drinking that sissy beer. I cut my teeth on San Magoo out in the PI 50 years ago. The only stateside beer I liked was Stroh’s, and that went out of business years ago. If I HAVE to drink American beer, it’ll be Sam Adams or Yeungling. Beer of choice when merlot is too expensive: Stella Artois.


73 posted on 03/29/2012 12:05:29 PM PDT by Ax
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To: B Knotts
Ladies and gentlemen: I present to you the true king of beers!
74 posted on 03/29/2012 12:07:25 PM PDT by erod (Romney sucks.)
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To: B Knotts
"but shipments have fallen for three straight years, thanks to the growing popularity of small, independent craft brewers."

Translation: America no longer settles for Warm Monkey piss now that there are companies bottling some decent beers here in America.

75 posted on 03/29/2012 12:08:37 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: Ax
"If I HAVE to drink American beer, it’ll be Sam Adams or Yeungling."

two of my favorites!

76 posted on 03/29/2012 12:13:54 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg (If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
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To: B Knotts

I spent a week up in Vermont a few summers ago and discovered Long Trail ale.
Brewed in Vermont it’s on tap at just about any watering hole in the states of VT and NH.

It’s now become my favorite beer for the momment.
I’m really liking the Long Trail Double Bag brew, got twice the alcohol. :)

http://www.longtrail.com/home.html


77 posted on 03/29/2012 12:19:16 PM PDT by mowowie
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To: B Knotts
Drink a Yuengling and cheese off the union bosses:

http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/07149/789158-28.stm
78 posted on 03/29/2012 12:24:24 PM PDT by Kevin C
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To: B Knotts

I am ashamed to say that I drank a regular bud in a can for the first time in about 20 years and I liked it. It is pretty good beer all in all.


79 posted on 03/29/2012 12:27:45 PM PDT by central_va ( I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: B Knotts

“Bud...It’s not as bad as it tastes”


80 posted on 03/29/2012 12:40:19 PM PDT by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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