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
The October BPI reading of 39 (+15 YoY from October 2025) continues the annual improvement seen in August (40, +13) and September (39, +11). This reading reflects typical fall inventory transition with seven of the last ten October surveys coming in below 50.
Coupled with a relatively higher ARI reading of 52, the results maintain the beer industry’s contractionary position heading into winter.
All segments, except Imports, recorded higher year-over-year readings. Cider reached the 50 benchmark for just the second time since 2018.
Looking across the segments for October:
- The below premium index at 52 is 12 points higher than October 2025 and six points higher than September 2026.
- The cider segment at 50 is 14 points higher than October 2025 and six points higher than September 2026.
- The premium lights index at 40 is seven points higher than October 2025 and one point higher than September 2026.
- The FMB/seltzer index at 39 is four points higher than October 2025 but five points lower than September 2026.
- The premium regular index at 38 is four points higher than October 2025 and three points higher than September 2026.
- The import index at 37 is six points lower than October 2025 and three points lower than September 2026.
- The craft index at 24 is 10 points higher than October 2025 and one point higher than September 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!