Latest news with #Anheuser-Busch
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
How 15 major brands changed their approach to Pride Month this year
Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, ended its funding of St. Louis' PrideFest. After 30 years, Bud Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch, ended its sponsorship of St. Louis' PrideFest, the main Pride Month celebration taking place June 28 and 29 in the city where the company is headquartered, St. Louis Public Radio reported. Amid the reduced corporate sponsorships, St. Louis' PrideFest will require a $10 entry fee for the first time. Anheuser-Busch did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment. It has not commented publicly about its decision. In 2023, Bud Light faced public backlash after partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The boycott campaign launched by anti-LGBTQ+ groups led to a sharp drop in sales that accounted for over $1 billion in sales for its parent company, Anheuser-Busch, as reported by CNN. At the time of the boycott, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth released a statement, saying the company "never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people." Target has scaled down its Pride collection displays since 2023. Target faced boycotts from anti-LGBTQ+ groups in 2023 and scaled down its displays in response last year. While the number of products in the Pride collection and stores carrying them is similar to 2024, there have been changes to the displays — Forbes reported that they have been shrunk and "set aside" for Father's Day and Independence Day collections. When Business Insider's Talia Lakritz visited a Target in Wisconsin to see its Pride collection, she found a small section at the back of the store featuring rainbow-themed clothing and home decor. She found many more items on their website. "We are absolutely dedicated to fostering inclusivity for everyone — our team members, our guests, our supply partners, and the more than 2,000 communities we're proud to serve," a Target spokesperson wrote in an email to Business Insider ."As we have for many years, we will continue to mark Pride Month by offering an assortment of celebratory products, hosting internal programming to support our incredible team and sponsoring local events in neighborhoods across the country." Nissan did not sponsor any Pride events this year, unlike in previous years. This year, Nissan pulled its sponsorship of San Francisco Pride and New York City Pride, CBS News reported. The company was a major supporter of the events in previous years. "Nissan is currently reviewing all marketing and sales spending — including select consumer auto shows, sports properties and other entertainment activations — to maximize both efficiency and breakthrough effectiveness," a Nissan spokesperson wrote in an email to BI. "Our company remains committed to promoting an inclusive culture for employees, consumers, dealers and other key stakeholders." Citi pulled back its sponsorship of NYC Pride. Along with other corporate giants, Citi pulled its sponsorship of New York City Pride, the Wall Street Journal reported. Instead, the company will participate in the event on a smaller scale, marching with SAGE, a nonprofit organization advocating for LGBTQ+ elders. "Our Citi Pride Inclusion Network is excited about sponsoring a range of Pride Month celebrations and participating in local marches around the globe, including in New York City where we will march in partnership with SAGE, one of our not-for-profit partner organizations," a Citi spokesperson told BI in an email. Mastercard also pulled back its sponsorship of NYC Pride. Mastercard did not renew its sponsorship of the event, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company donated over $175,000 last year. Similarly to Citi, the company will participate in the event on a smaller scale by marching with its employee-focused groups. "Mastercard is a long-standing supporter of the many communities our employees are part of, including the LGBTQIA+ community," a Mastercard spokesperson told BI via email. "This year, we continue that commitment by proudly participating in the NYC Pride March and related events with a strong employee-led presence and a community engagement program designed to uplift and celebrate our workforce." PepsiCo also pulled back its sponsorship. PepsiCo, Pepsi's parent company, was another of the corporate sponsors that pulled back support from NYC Pride this year, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company is also one of the various corporations amending its DEI policies following Trump's executive order and continuous pressure on the private sector, as reported by Reuters. Garnier was another company to withdraw its sponsorship of NYC Pride. Garnier also pulled back its sponsorship of NYC Pride this year, The New York Times reported. Last year, the company was one of the event's Platinum sponsors, contributing over $175,000. While Garnier did not contribute to the event this year, L'Oreal — Garnier's parent company — is featured as one of the event's Platinum sponsors for 2025. When reached by Business Insider, a Garnier spokesperson declined to provide a comment. The Home Depot pulled its sponsorship of Toronto Pride. Across the border, Toronto Pride saw the end of some of its corporate sponsorships, including support from The Home Depot, The Guardian reported. "One of our core values is respect for all people, and we'll continue to uphold that commitment to our associates and our customers. We work with an extensive network of nonprofits made up of thousands of local and national organizations to amplify our support to the communities we serve. We continually review our nonprofit giving and decided not to contribute to this event this year with no agreement in place to do so," a Home Depot spokesperson told BI over email. "We continue to participate in Pride activities throughout Canada and look forward to working with Toronto Pride on future opportunities. In both the U.S. and Canada, we allow our associates to choose which local community events they participate in, and our associate resource groups support events that are important and relevant to their communities." Clorox also withdrew its support of Toronto Pride. "Our decisions around sponsorships evolve year to year as we look to make an impact and foster healthy and inclusive communities," a Clorox spokesperson told BI over email "This year we chose to direct our support to other meaningful initiatives aligned with Pride." Adidas also pulled its sponsorship. Adidas also withdrew its sponsorship of Toronto Pride this year, per The Guardian. "For us, Pride is about creating a fair and authentic culture of inclusion, respect and support for all our people, athletes, and partners. It's also about showcasing the +1 power of allyship through the lens of sports. To turn these words into action, we keep teaming up with organizations like Stonewall and Athlete Ally," an Adidas spokesperson told BI over email. "To mark Pride month for our employees, we're holding Pride panel talks, themed sports activities and workshops for our people throughout the month. All year long, our teammates are celebrating communities and inspiring dialogue through Employee Resource Groups — all to create a workplace where everyone belongs." Visa pulled its funding of WorldPride in Washington, DC. In Washington, DC, WorldPride — which ran from May 17 to June 8 — also saw the withdrawal of corporate sponsors like Visa, as reported by CBS News. Visa did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment. While the company still displays a diversity and inclusion page on its website, no public comment or announcement has been made about any LGBTQ+ initiatives for this year. Deloitte also walked back its funding of WorldPride. Comcast also pulled its funding of San Francisco Pride and WorldPride in DC. Last year, Comcast released a press release celebrating Pride Month. This year, the company pulled its funding from San Francisco Pride and WorldPride in Washington, DC, as reported by The New York Times. Comcast did not respond to BI's request for comment. Macy's support efforts are similar to last year's, but without public announcements. Last year, Macy's put out a press release celebrating Pride and sharing its plans, which included running a donation campaign for The Trevor Project (which supports LGBTQ+ youth) and spotlighting LGBTQ+-owned brands. This year, it is participating in similar ways, including taking part in Pride events across the country and highlighting LGBTQ+ brands, but without a major public announcement, CNN reported. It did, however, share a video about its Trevor Project campaign on social media, including its YouTube and Instagram profiles, and has been sharing other videos with Pride messaging. The Gap has also stayed quiet.
NBC News
18-06-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Local sponsors step up as Pride events face funding cuts
Pride events across the U.S. are seeing major corporate sponsors pull back, including Anheuser-Busch, which is no longer backing St. Louis Pride after more than 30 years. Organizers in cities like St. Louis, San Francisco, and New York report major funding gaps, with local sponsors and community donations helping to keep celebrations going.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AB InBev announces $17M investment in Houston brewery
Anheuser-Busch (BUD) announced a new $17M investment in its Houston, TX brewery. This $17M investment in its Houston brewery is part of Anheuser-Busch's Brewing Futures initiative, through which the company has committed to investing $300M in its facilities this year to create and sustain U.S. manufacturing jobs, the company said. Brendan Whitworth, CEO, Anheuser-Busch, said: 'Investing in our people and our facilities to drive economic prosperity is core to who we are. This investment in Houston is the latest example of Anheuser-Busch's commitment to strengthen our local communities by creating and sustaining jobs and driving economic growth.' Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Published first on TheFly – the ultimate source for real-time, market-moving breaking financial news. Try Now>> See the top stocks recommended by analysts >> Read More on BUD: Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Anheuser-Busch InBev Concludes USD 2 Billion Debt Tender Offers AB InBev added to European Conviction List at Goldman Sachs AB InBev price target raised to EUR 69 from EUR 66.50 at Morgan Stanley Anheuser-Busch InBev Announces Early Results of Debt Tender Offers Anheuser-Busch InBev Launches USD 2 Billion Debt Tender Offers Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Busch Light Debuts New Beer Flavor Likely to Fly Off Shelves This Summer
Busch Light Debuts New Beer Flavor Likely to Fly Off Shelves This Summer originally appeared on Parade. Move over, Bapple, a new limited-edition Busch Light flavor is coming to town. The fan-favorite lager only recently amped fans up with the highly-anticipated comeback of its ever-popular Busch Light Apple (or "Bapple," as some would say), and now it's looking to recreate the hype with the release of its newest "fruit-forward" variety, Busch Light Lime. On Monday, the Anheuser-Busch brand announced the arrival of its latest creation, noting it would only be around for a limited time, just like Busch Light Apple and its prior peach-flavored offering. Related: It features a "crisp, refreshing lime-flavored lager with a touch of sweet on the front end and a clean beer finish on the back," according to a spokesperson for the brand, who also called it "the perfect combination for a sunny summer day outside." 'We're kicking off this summer with our second seasonal drop so our fans can enjoy camping and post hikes with their favorite cold, smooth beer in hand,' said Krystyn Stowe, head of marketing at Busch Family & Natural Family at Anheuser-Busch, in a statement. 'Between Busch Light Lime's debut and the return of Busch Light Apple, 2025 is the summer of flavor, and our fans love our fruit-forward flavored beers. Listening to our fans and bringing them the innovations they want is our top priority.' Those looking to get their hands on the new Busch Light summer edition can find cans of 12, 24, or 30 at most major retailers–but only in 25 states (Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming) while supplies last. Given how fast Busch Light Apple flew off the shelves, we don't foresee this flavor lasting in-store very long either. Next: Busch Light Debuts New Beer Flavor Likely to Fly Off Shelves This Summer first appeared on Parade on Jun 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stonewall Columbus Pride March by the numbers: See the 2025 turnout
The 2025 Stonewall Columbus Pride March had fewer marchers than in 2024, but more volunteers, according to Stonewall Columbus Executive Director Densil Porteous. More than 18,000 people marched in the June 14 parade, around 2,000 people fewer than in 2024. At the same time, over 500 people volunteered for the event, around 100 more than did in 2024. All told, over 650,000 people attended the weekend's Pride events, resulting in a $7.6 million economic impact for local businesses, Columbus and Franklin County, Porteous said in a June 16 press release. "This weekend offered more than a festival—it was a statement. A mass declaration that LGBTQ+ lives matter, that we will not stay silent, and that in joy we find our collective strength," Porteous said in the release. Porteous said certain companies backing out as sponsors this year contributed to the drop in marchers, but many of the volunteers were employees of companies that had chosen not to march. Several companies, including Anheuser-Busch, Lowe's, Nissan, and Walmart, backed out of supporting Stonewall Columbus' 2025 pride celebrations amid a national backlash to diversity, equity and inclusion policies (DEI). Retreats from businesses cost Stonewall Columbus around $125,000 in lost donations, about a fifth of its expected costs for Pride Month celebrations. Donations from the Columbus community and other partners filled the financial gap left by the companies, Porteous previously told The Dispatch. The corporate retreat from supporting Pride events comes as the Trump administration has threatened companies that have DEI practices with investigations and prosecutions. DEI practices in the federal government were ended on day one of Trump's second term via an executive order, USA TODAY reported. More: Pride fills streets of Columbus as No Kings rallies draw thousands across Ohio, nationwide Breaking and Trending News Reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@ and at @NathanRHart on X and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Pride March: How many people showed up in 2025?
