Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, wants to change how American-made beer is described. Whitworth encouraged A-B’s wholesale partners to change industry terminology from “domestic” to “American” when describing beers made in the United States.
In the convenience channel, and others, beer is categorized as domestic or imported. Anheuser-Busch’s U.S.-made beers include Budweiser, Michelob Ultra and Busch Light. Popular imported beers sold in c-stores include Modelo, Corona, Heineken and Dos Equis XX, according to 2023 data from Chicago-based market research firm Circana.
In his letter, sent Wednesday to A-B’s wholesale partners, Whitworth said he did not like the word “domestic.”
“Every time I see it, I have a negative reaction. I’ve thought about it a lot. I’ve talked about it with people, now and again. Until now, I’ve never actually done anything about it,” he said in the letter, which Anheuser-Busch shared with CSP Daily News.
While domestic isn’t an incorrect adjective to use to describe American-made beer, Whitworth said, “It just doesn’t fully capture the spirit and passion that’s intrinsic to the American beer industry and its brands. It also doesn’t fully capture the pride we should all take in products made right here in this great country.”
Ninety-nine percent of the beer that Anheuser-Busch sells in the United States is made in the U.S. he said, and 99% of its ingredients come from American farmers.
Whitworth, who spent eight years in the United States Marine Corps and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), said he was asking his A-B team and wholesalers to make the change from domestic to American beer.
“Change the bar menus, change the venue boards, change the signs, change their reports, change their jargon and insist upon American,” he said. “I hope other American brewers and wholesalers will join us. I also welcome retailers and industry partners like Circana, Nielsen and others to join us. Together, let’s leave 'domestic' in the rearview mirrors of those good ol’ American pickup trucks. Let’s all take more pride in our American beers.”
The renaming request comes as President Donald Trump issued an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch has brewed beers for more than 165 years. Its portfolio of beverages includes Michelob Ultra, Cutwater Spirits, Stella Artois, Budweiser and Bud Light.
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