About the Beer Purchasers’ Index
By: Lester Jones, NBWA Vice President, Analytics and Chief Economist
The NBWA Beer Purchasers’ Index (BPI) is an informal monthly statistical release giving distributors a timely and reliable indicator of industry beer purchasing activity. BPI is the only forward-looking indicator for the industry to measure expected beer demand (one month forward) in the marketplace. Similar to the widely recognized Purchasing Managers’ Index, the BPI is a net-rising index and a leading indicator of industry performance based on survey responses from participating beer purchasers. The index surveys beer distributors’ purchases across different segments and compares them to that of previous years’ purchases. A reading greater than 50 indicates the segment is expanding, while a reading below 50 indicates the segment is contracting.
The Latest Data
An increase in expected distributor demand pushed the BPI above the benchmark (50) for the first time in 21 months, with an April reading of 59.
The combined index readings for at-risk inventory (48) and BPI (59) place the industry in expansionary territory heading into the summer.
For the second consecutive month, every segment recorded higher year-over-year readings, with Imports, Premium Lights, Below Premium and FMB/Seltzer all posting readings at or above 50.
Looking across the segments for April:
- The imports index at 64 is 13-points higher than April 2025 and ten points higher than March 2026.
- The craft index at 24 is four points higher than April 2025 and one point higher than March 2026.
- The premium lights index at 59 is 21-points higher than April 2025 and 13-points higher than March 2026.
- The premium regular index at 48 is 11-points higher than April 2025 and four points higher than March 2026.
- The below premium index at 50 is four points higher than April 2025 and two points lower than March 2026.
- The FMB/seltzer index at 56 is 13-points higher than April 2025 and three points higher than March 2026.
- The cider segment at 45 is sixteen points higher than April 2025 and six points higher than March 2026.
Beer Distributors
Please sign up to participate and receive the first and only advance notice of expectations for increasing or decreasing sales. Complete the form below using your company’s primary beer purchaser’s contact information. For additional information, please email bpi@nbwa.org.
Beer Distributor Expectations Sign Up
Sign up to participate and receive the first and only advance notice of expectations for increasing or decreasing sales!