Sales of beverages in 19.2oz cans are growing significantly in convenience stores, according to Molson Coors.

The beverage company says it has become the favourite choice of craft beer consumers.

“They really came out of nowhere,” says Matt Herbert, sales director for Tenth & Blake, Molson Coors Beverage Company’s U.S. craft division. “And now they’re everywhere.”

The 19.2-ounce can accounts for more than 92% of craft single sales at convenience stores, according to Circana data. 

Just six years ago, it amounted to less than 10% of craft single sales, while 22-ounce “bomber” bottles owned the channel, with more than 75% of craft single sales. 

Today, bombers account for less than 1% of craft single sales at C-stores, while 24-ounce cans don’t even clear 7%.

And as more shoppers shift from grocery stores to C-stores, the opportunity to connect with them is growing, Herbert says.

“Convenience shoppers go in knowing what they want and picking up other purchases while they’re in the store,” he says. “When it comes to beer, knowing how exploratory craft consumers are, you have to figure out a way to provide variety, value and trending styles.

“How do you do that? You offer singles.”

The 19.2-ounce “stovepipe” can sits in the middle of that Venn diagram and has continued to attract legal-age drinkers, growing craft sales more than 39% between 2021 and 2022, to $295 million, according to Circana multi-outlet and convenience store data. 

Isolating convenience store data, the picture becomes even brighter, with 19.2 dollar sales of craft climbing more than 41% to $221 million, representing the lion’s share of sales.