As Guinness soars in popularity, Diageo, which owns the beer, has started placing limits on how many kegs some U.K. pubs can order during the holiday season to prevent stockpiling.
Driving the news: Guinness sales in the U.K. grew by almost 21% between July and October of this year, even as a general pullback in drinking caused beer sales to fall by 0.5%. Some U.K. pubs say the brand is now responsible for 50% to 70% of their revenue.
Why it matters: Whether it's the fun of “splitting the ‘G’” or Diageo successfully rebranding the beer as a light, low-calorie option, Guinness has been a hit even with alcohol-weary Gen Z. That shift has allowed the brand to buck a broader global trend of declining beer sales.
- Guinness is the fastest-growing imported beer in the U.S. In Canada, it was a top-three beer across six provinces and territories last year, including in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C.
In Canada: We are happy to confirm there are no shortages to report. The general manager at Saint John’s Tavern in downtown Toronto told The Peak it’s on track to sell nearly 80,000 pints this year and is well-stocked by Diageo going into the holidays.—LA