Beer distributor sees strong sales

It's not scientific proof of recovery, but it sure can't be all bad that one of the largest beer distributors on the Gulf Coast is having a super-sudsy 2011.

In fact, John Saputo, who runs Lakewood Ranch-based Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, says sales in some regard are so strong that the ledger reads like 2005. “It looks like we are starting to come back,” Saputo tells Coffee Talk. “This is the first year we've been encouraged.”

Through June, Gold Coast, which carries everything from Budweiser and vitamin-enhanced water to a line of microbrews, is up $2.8 million in 2011 sales, says Saputo. The company had $82 million in 2010 revenues, a 5.7% drop from $87 million in 2009.

But Saputo says even better is some of the beers that have led the way are premium and super-premium brews — industry lingo for more expensive. Michelob and Michelob Ultra are up dramatically in 2011, says Saputo, and imports like Corona, Beck's and St. Pauli Girl have seen double-digit percentage increases.

A rise in premium beer sales is a good sign for the both the lager and the larger economy because it's a signal, albeit anecdotal, that expendable income is coming back. Saputo says at least 60% of Gold Coast's customer base are men, 21 to 35 years old, a demographic hit hard by high unemployment levels.