Everyone knows Bud Light is popular. But just how popular is mildly shocking.
One in five beers sold in America is a Bud Light
Dylan Matthews was a senior correspondent and head writer for Vox’s Future Perfect section. He is particularly interested in global health and pandemic prevention, anti-poverty efforts, economic policy and theory, and conflicts about the right way to do philanthropy.
Last month’s issue of Beer Industry magazine has a bevy of good data on 2013 beer sales, including case sales for the top ten domestic, imported, and craft beers, hard ciders, and flavored malt beverages (think Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Bud Light Lime, Smirnoff Ice, etc.). Here’s what those brands look like stacked up next to each other:
Not only is Bud Light in front, it's way out in front, with nearly three times the sales of its nearest rival, Coors Light.
Foreign and craft beers — even popular and well-known ones like Corona, Heineken, or Sam Adams — are crazily far behind. Even further behind are flavored malt beverages and hard cider. Here are the total case sales in 2013 for each category:
Let’s step back for a second. If you add up every case of imported beer, craft beer, hard cider, and flavored malt beverages sold in 2013, you get 270,194,987. Bud Light sold 294,749,300 cases. That means that last year Bud Light outsold every imported beer, craft beer, hard cider, and flavored malt beverage combined. Indeed, Bud Light makes up about 20 percent of all cases of beer (or cider or flavored malt beverage) sold last year. One in five beers sold last year was a Bud Light:
Thanks to The Atlantic's John Tierney for pointing out the data.
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