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 April Beer Purchasers’ Index recorded a year-over-year decrease to 38 while the at-risk inventory measure rose to 54. The combination of these index readings continues to place the industry in contractionary territory.
Across the segments, FMB/Seltzer recorded its 14th consecutive month of YoY improvement — the segment’s first such streak since 2019/2020. The Imports segment returned to expansionary territory following its first month in contraction since 2020.
Looking across the segments for April:
- The index for imports inched into expansionary territory with an April 2025 reading of 51, 22 points below last April’s reading of 73.
- The craft index at 20 for April 2025 continues to signal contraction in this segment and is 16-points lower than the April 2024 reading at 36.
- The premium lights index fell to 38 for April 2025, 25-points lower than the April 2024 reading at 63.
- The premium regular index fell to 37 for April 2025, 22-points lower than the April 2024 reading at 59.
- The below premium segment for April 2025 at 46 is seven-points lower than the April 2024 reading of 53.
- The FMB/seltzer reading for April 2025 at 43 is three-points higher than the April 2024 reading at 40. The FMB segment is the only segment to post a higher reading in April 2025 compared to April 2024.
- Finally, the cider segment posted an April 2025 reading at 29 compared to 39 for April 2024.
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!