(NEXSTAR) – Anheuser-Busch announced Monday that Michelob Ultra is now the best-selling beer in the U.S., claiming the top spot from Modelo Especial.
Anehuser-Busch, in its announcement, cited data from the market research firm Circana, which found Michelob Ultra to be the top-selling beer across retail channels over the past year.
Kyle Norrington, the chief commercial officer of Anheuser-Busch, credited the achievement, in part, to partnerships and sponsoring efforts focused on sporting events.
“This approach has turned Michelob ULTRA into an absolute rocket ship, and we’ve got tremendous opportunity ahead of us,” Norrington said. “This is a proud moment for our teams and partners and speaks to the resilience of the American beer category.”
Six-packs of Bud Light, Budweiser and Michelob Ultra are displayed at a liquor store, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Fairfield, California. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
In becoming the country’s best-selling beer, Michelob Ultra knocks Modelo Especial — which is owned in the U.S. by Constellation Brands — out of the top spot. Modelo Especial had held that title since 2023, after the country’s then-best-selling beer, Bud Light, came under fire from critics of Anheuser-Busch’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
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Speaking of Bud Light, Michelob Ultra had already dethroned Budweiser’s lighter brew as the best-selling draft beer in bars across the United States. As of December 2024, Michelob’s lower-calorie beer had overtaken Bud Light in terms of the “number of tap handles” operating at U.S venues with beer systems, according to data from Draftline Technologies.
Draftline Technologies, at the time, said Michelob Ultra’s rise as the best-selling draft beer was also due to customer tastes that reflects a “broader alignment with health-conscious, premium beer trends.”
“It’s important to note that Michelob Ultra’s rise has been years in the making,” Hauke said.
