Although off-premise performance for the U.S. beer market show that nearly all segments posted dollar sale gains in 2020, no one had a better financial performance than flavored malt beverages (FMBs). In total U.S. multi-outlets for the 52 weeks ending Dec. 27, 2020, the segment recorded $6.8 billion in sales, a 68.2 percent increase, according to data from Chicago-based Information Resources Inc. (IRI).
Comprised of varying sub-segments, analysts note that hard seltzer have been the driving force for FMBs booming performance.