We Finally Know How Much Money Was Lost Because Of Bud Light, And It's Stunning

Bud Light helping transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney celebrate one year of being a woman cost Anheuser-Busch over $1 billion in 2023. 

That's not a typo. Not a misprint. Not hyperbole. 

That would be billion with a b. I believe that's three commas and nine zeroes for those counting at home. 

Anheuser-Busch published its full 2023 revenue report Thursday, and, of course, led with the good news: the company saw record growth last year. 

However, its "full growth potential was constrained" by its US business, mainly, of course, due to the Bud Light fiasco. 

In North America (that's us!), organic revenue plunged $1.4 billion. Furthermore, since last May, Bud Light has only recovered 1.2 percentage points of lost market share, according to CEO Michel Doukeris. 

"It’s not at the fast pace that we were expecting or that we’ve been working for. But nevertheless, progress is in place," he said.

It was a Bud Light bloodbath in 2023

Progress is in place! Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night, Mike. 

What a staggering fall from grace. Frankly, it also shows you how much of a giant Anheuser-Busch is because they still apparently managed to come out in the green last year despite Bud Light. 

I'd imagine it's going to be that way for a while. Maybe forever. 

Hell, you pretty much saw that during the Super Bowl, when the WSJ reported that Bud Light fell to Modelo as the No. 1 beer sold. 

That should surprise absolutely nobody who's been paying attention, because the Mexican brew surpassed Bud Light last summer as the No. 1 selling beer in America. 

Along with that, Bud was pulled from shelves across the country, mocked ruthlessly online, and even took a couple bullets from Kid Rock. 

Now, Kid has since said his boycott is over, and perhaps everyone will follow suit at some point this year. 

Or – and I'd imagine this one is more likely – maybe everyone has just sort of moved on from Bud Light. 

I reckon we'll see.