Corona Beer Suspends Production Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Though Corona Beer had no hand in the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China and has now strangled the world economy, the Mexican company has announced it will be temporarily suspending production of its famed product amid the crisis. 

According to CNN, Grupo Modelo, the company that produces Corona Beer, announced on Twitter it halted beer production because the Mexican government deemed them a non-essential business, which comes as a surprise, given that alcohol sales have skyrocketed in recent weeks for reasons far too obvious to explain.

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Grupo Modelo acata medidas dictadas por el Gobierno Federal para hacer frente al SARS-CoV2.

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Though the company has halted production, it still plans to “guarantee the supply of beer” if the Mexican government does not shut down breweries. 

“Constellation Brands handles the distribution and import of Grupo Modelo’s beers in the United States,” reported CNN. “CEO Bill Newlands said in an earnings call the brand has ‘ample supply to meet consumer demand’ and doesn’t expect shortages in the near term.”

Last month, given Corona Beer’s shared name with the infamous coronavirus, a poll began circulating across social media suggesting that 38% of Americans would be avoiding the famed beverage because of the virus. That poll was later deemed unreliable and untrustworthy. As Politifact reported in its “False” rating: 

The survey was done by a New York City firm, 5W Public Relations. The firm announced the results on Feb. 27, 2020, as public health concerns rose in the United States. The next day President Donald Trump held a news conference about the nation’s response to coronavirus.

The survey “via phone” of 737 American beer drinkers over age 21 on Feb. 25 and 26 was done “regarding their opinions about the popular Mexican beer brand, Corona, as a result of the deadly coronavirus that’s spreading around the world,” the PR firm’s news release said.

So, this was a survey of beer drinkers, not of Americans overall.

The evidence since that poll was taken shows the exact opposite. In fact, Constellation says sales for its beer brands grew 8.9% in the first quarter, with Modelo and Corona earning the top spots. In the first three weeks of March, when the pandemic kicked into overdrive, sales on Constellation’s beer were up 24% compared to last year. 

Though people were probably buying up Corona Beer as a sense of irony, overall alcohol sales have skyrocketed during the pandemic, with multiple states deeming liquor stores an essential business.

“Alcoholic beverage sales shot up 55% in the third week of March compared to the same time a year ago,” reported CNN on Wednesday.” That’s when several states, including New York, ordered people to ‘shelter in place.’ Those social distancing guidelines limited people from hanging out and restaurants and bars were ordered to close. However, many stores selling alcohol  including liquor outlets or grocery stores — stayed open. Sales of beer, which has been gradually falling out favor with the American drinker, also soared. Nielsen said that larger packs of 24 or 30 both grew roughly 90% for the week compared to a year ago as people were preparing to limit their outside errands.”

Those sales could, of course, shift downward in the next month as the economic recession begins to take its toll on American consumers, who undoubtedly shift to buying up truly essential items like food and toiletries as they stay afloat.