More beers in America are being paired with lime than ever before. The story of how Modelo Especial, a Mexican lager, surpassed Bud Light as the top-selling beer in America predates the conservative backlash that Bud Light faced in April over a collaboration with a transgender influencer. Rather, the factors that, for the better part of a decade, put Modelo on its triumphant track include an increasing preference among American consumers for imported, more expensive beer; a decade-old antitrust deal; and effective marketing campaigns aimed at attracting young, non-Hispanic consumers to the Mexican beer. “Most people in the beer industry have assumed Modelo was going to overtake Bud Light at some point,” said Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers Association, a trade group representing over 6,000 American breweries. “It was a question of when, not if.”The switch occurred at the start of June, after Bud Light had held the No.

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Persons: Bud Light, ”, Bart Watson, Modelo, Bud Light’s, Bump Williams Organizations: Modelo Especial, Modelo, Brewers Association, Nielsen Locations: America, Mexican, United States