By Sarah Morland
MEXICO CITY, Feb 27 (Reuters) – Mexican distiller Becle, the world’s largest tequila maker, warned of a difficult 2026 as it restructures its distribution network in the United States amid shrinking demand for hard liquor and a turbulent trade environment.
Becle, which sells Jose Cuervo family tequilas and other spirits largely across North America, ended its partnership in February with leading U.S. distributor Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC), which left the country’s most populous state, California, in a chaotic exit late last year.
Becle said it is prioritizing setting up its new partnerships right away and believes the changes should better position the company beyond 2026.
“This will be a transition year,” CFO Rodrigo de la Maza told analysts. “Changes of this scale take time to fully stabilize and may create temporary disruptions, shipping volatility, inventory realignment and added complexity.”
Effects from the restructuring should mainly be felt in the first half of 2026, he said. Executives predicted U.S. growth to begin to return in 2027.
For 2026, the company predicted its net sales value will decline in the low single digits, when stripping out impacts of foreign-exchange rates, and that it would spend some $90 million-$110 million, down from the $130 million pegged for 2025.
Lower sales across Becle’s top North American markets dragged its top line down 14% in the last three months of 2025, sinking net profit, which was also hit by a higher tax rate.
The earnings missed analysts’ forecasts and Becle’s shares dipped as much as 5% in morning trading, before leveling slightly. It remains down 16% since January 1.
‘A QUARTER TO FORGET’
“It was a quarter to forget by most measures, and the start of 2026 doesn’t look too bright either,” said Scotiabank analyst Felipe Ucros in a note, pointing to a stagnant tequila market across the U.S. as consumers change their drinking habits.
Industry groups have attributed the changes to tighter wallets, interest in healthier alternatives and sales of legal marijuana. Becle has said Canadians have also opted for more local spirits amid last year’s U.S. tariff threats.
Tequila is among the majority of Mexican goods exempt from U.S. tariffs under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade pact, which is up for review this year, but on-and-off trade threats have nevertheless impacted the sector, particularly small suppliers.
The U.S. imported 26% less tequila in the first nine months of 2025 compared with the same period of 2024, according to trade association data, while imports of spirits in general declined 17%. Through all of 2025, Becle’s U.S. and Canada sales fell 4%.
Sales increased outside of North America – which typically brings just under a fifth of income – but not enough to offset declines in Becle’s bigger markets, and the value of its foreign-currency earnings was also slimmed by a stronger peso.
Despite lower sales last year, Becle improved profit margins. Executives said they were avoiding lowering prices as aggressively as their competitors.
De la Maza told analysts that despite a weak spirits sector, Becle was outperforming the market and its operations should continue to benefit from lower costs of agave, the prickly plant used to make tequila, though to a lesser extent than in 2025.
Regarding recent turbulence in Jalisco state, the birthplace of tequila, after Mexico’s most-wanted cartel kingpin was killed in a military operation, Becle said its operations were not affected and it did not foresee challenges.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland in Mexico City; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez, Natalia Siniawski and Matthew Lewis)
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