Michelob Ultra overtakes Modelo Especial as best-selling U.S. beer

Michelob Ultra has overtaken Constellation Brands‘ Modelo Especial as the best-selling beer within the United States.

Michelob Ultra claimed the highest spot as the best-selling beer in retail channels within the 52 weeks ended Sept. 14, dad or mum firm Anheuser-Busch announced Monday, citing knowledge from Circana. The mild lager can also be the highest vendor in bars and eating places, in line with Nielsen IQ knowledge for the 52 weeks ended July 12.

For brewer AB InBev, Michelob Ultra’s triumph reverses the corporate’s struggles from two years in the past. Modelo Especial unseated Bud Light within the wake of conservative backlash over the flagship beer’s partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light had beforehand held the title as the top-selling beer within the U.S. for greater than twenty years.

Modelo’s declining recognition comes as Constellation faces key challenges to its enterprise, together with tariffs on aluminum and Mexican imports and weaker demand from Hispanic shoppers.

Historically, Hispanic beer drinkers have accounted for roughly half of Constellation’s buyer base, though rising demand from non-Hispanic shoppers helped gasoline Modelo’s rise. Executives have said that President Donald Trump‘s immigration insurance policies and associated job losses have weighed on Hispanic shoppers’ spending.

Earlier this month, Constellation cut its forecast for the fiscal yr, citing a “challenging” economic system. The firm expects web beer gross sales will fall 2% to 4% resulting from decrease volumes and extra tariff impacts. It beforehand anticipated gross sales would vary from flat to up 3%.

So far this yr, AB InBev’s inventory has climbed greater than 16%, whereas shares of Constellation have tumbled 39%.