"After decades of steadiness atop the world of American beer, the last few years have seen a sudden shakeup, with a third beer in three years becoming the No. 1 best seller. For 20 years up until 2023, Bud Light was the undisputed champion of beer in the United States, topping the sales over and over. Then, in 2023, following the rise of top Mexican beer brands, Modelo took the No. 1 spot in a massive unseating."
"Taking the top spot in overall retail sales comes after Michelob Ultra also overtook Bud Light (owned by Anheuser-Busch as well) as the No. 1 draft beer in the U.S. last year. Despite Modelo's brief reign as the No. 1 selling retail beer, Anheuser-Busch has truly dominated the draft beer world - and even at No. 2, Bud Light is still 30% ahead of the No. 3 draft beer. Now topping both draft and retail, Michelob Ultra is undeniably the biggest beer in the country."
Bud Light held the top U.S. beer sales position for two decades until 2023, when Modelo unseated it amid rising Mexican beer brands. Anheuser-Busch announced on September 22 that Michelob Ultra topped retail sales over a 52-week Circana data period, and Michelob Ultra previously overtook Bud Light as the No.1 draft beer. Anheuser-Busch dominates draft beer, with Bud Light still 30% ahead of the No.3 draft beer. Michelob Ultra, introduced in 2002, emphasizes being a light beer for active, health-conscious consumers. Sales of Michelob Ultra rose 15% over five years after marketing pushes around sports, including NBA sponsorship and a 2026 Winter Olympics partnership.
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