Jury sides with Constellation in Corona hard seltzer case

By DEE-ANN DURBIN
AP Business Writer

In a case that hinged on the definition of “beer,” a federal jury has ruled that Constellation Brands can continue to sell Corona and Modelo hard seltzers in the U.S. Anheuser-Busch InBev and its Mexican subsidiary, Grupo Modelo, sued Constellation in 2021. They were seeking to force Constellation to halt sales of Corona Hard Seltzer and Modelo Ranch Water. Constellation has been licensed to sell Corona and Modelo beer in the U.S. since 2013, but Grupo Modelo said that agreement only includes “beer” and not hard seltzer. But Constellation said the agreement is broad and allows it to develop and market new drinks.