Michelob Ultra and Modelo Especial are competing for the title of America’s best-selling beer.
Modelo Especial has been the best-selling beer since taking the top spot from Bud Light in 2023. However, based on sales volume so far this year, Michelob Ultra, launched in 2002, has taken the lead, parent company AB InBev announced on Thursday, October 27th.
Based on the past 52 weeks of retail sales data, Michelob Ultra is the top-selling product by volume in retail stores including bars, restaurants, supermarkets, drug stores and convenience stores, according to a company news release.
However, Constellation Brands, which sells beer in the U.S. market, says Modelo Especial remains the best-selling beer by dollar amount spent, accounting for 10% of all beer sales. Constellation sells Modelo and Corona beers in the U.S., and AB InBev manages those beers in all other markets.
Who is right? It depends on how you look at it, says Dave Williams, president of Bump Williams Consulting in Shelton, Conn., which serves the alcoholic beverage industry.
Williams said Modelo Especial remains No. 1 in beer sales, but “Ultra remains on an upward trajectory” while overall beer sales are down. As Michelob Ultra sales volumes increase, the difference in dollar sales is narrowing, Williams told USA TODAY.
Michelob Ultra’s success is a reaction for Anheuser-Busch, which lost momentum at Bud Light due to a consumer boycott that began in April 2023 over its marketing partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
While the Modelo Especial took the top spot, the Michelob Ultra was also gaining momentum. ABInBev CEO Michel Duqueris discussed the company’s third quarter financials during a conference call Thursday, Oct. 30, and said Michelob Ultra currently has an average market share of 8% nationally.
“The beer industry’s share is less than 6% in 20 states, so there is still significant opportunity for further expansion and growth,” Dukeris said.
Modelo and Michelob Ultra struggle as beer sales decline
Competition intensified in a tough market, with total beer sales down 2.2% in the 52 weeks ending October 5, 2025, according to Circana, which tracks sales at grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, convenience stores and other retailers.
Both AB InBev and Constellation were unable to avoid slowing down. They reported that total beer volume decreased by 3.9% and 4%, respectively, over the past three months.
Modelo Especial typically costs a little more than Michelob Ultra, so “while the volumes are much closer, it still leads in dollar sales,” Williams said. “Ultra is certainly gaining ground due to the fact that the brand is still seeing some growth, while Modelo continues to see some decline, primarily due to continued withdrawal from Hispanic shoppers across the U.S.,” he said in an email exchange.
Constellation Brands President and CEO Bill Newlands was asked during the company’s earnings call on Oct. 7 about the decline in sales that began earlier this spring and coincided with the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and subsequent raids.
According to the company’s survey data, about 80% of Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers “continue to express concerns about the socio-economic environment that we face. … Our consumer base is a little more engaged, but they’re not attracted to it,” Newlands said.
Meanwhile, AB InBev has another bright spot in Michelob Ultra. Launched in January, the new Michelob Ultra Zero ranks second in the non-alcoholic beer growth category, which has grown 23% over the past year. “Non-alcoholic beer is an important opportunity to develop new consumption opportunities and increase participation,” Dukeris said.
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com
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