10-19-2009 - Vol. 40 / No. 19MillerCoors sales-to-retailers down at approx same 1% pace they've averaged since JV formed in Jul last yr, tho trend has been up-and-down. STR's down 1.3% Jul-Sep, 1% for 6 mos. More important: both of MC's top 2 premium light beers down in latest qtr. Miller Lite down mid single digits and Coors Light posted "slight decline." Drops "partially offset by continued strong growth of MGD 64." So MC's premium light biz down low single digits. Coors Light drop ended streak of over 4 straight yrs of quarterly growth for the brand. Trade down hadda be a factor. Plus Coors Light was goin' against big 7-8% gain in same qtr 08. Meanwhile, MC's subpremium portfolio up "low single digits" in 3d qtr. Keystone Light up double digits; High Life up too. MC's craft and import portfolio "grew slightly"; Blue Moon up high singles. Sales to wholesalers down 0.7%, 5th-straight shipments drop for MC, but slight improvement from -1.1% in Q2.
