Impact’s “Hot Brand” RTDs Keep Climbing In 2022
August 22, 2022While spirits growth appears to have slowed some this year as the industry runs up against tough comps, the ascendant RTD category remains in high gear. Among the 14 spirit-based RTD labels that earned Impact “Hot Brand” awards for their 2021 performances, a dozen continued to increase in control states in the first half of this year, with many brands expanding at triple-digit rates.
Market leader High Noon Sun Sips from E.&J. Gallo neared 9 million cases last year, according to Impact Databank, and has more than doubled in control states so far in 2022. With that performance it will be no surprise if the brand meets Gallo’s forecast that it could become the top brand by volume overall in the spirits industry by year-end. Other vodka-based Hot Brand RTDs that have made strides in control states in 2022 include Ketel One and Absolut.
Cutwater, from Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Atomic Brands’ Monaco have also continued to surge after each of them neared the 2-million-case mark in 2021, showing dynamic gains in control states in the year-to-date. Along with Cutwater, A-B also owns Devil’s Backbone, another rising category player. Crown Royal’s RTDs appear poised to blow past 1 million cases this year, and labels like On The Rocks from Beam Suntory and the Finnish Long Drink could also approach that threshold if trends hold over the remainder of the year.
Austin, Texas-based Canteen Spirits last year opened a new 50,000 square foot production facility, as demand continues to rise sharply for its RTD portfolio, which jumped by more than 30% in the first half. And other RTD Hot Brands also surged in control states through June, including Buzzballz from Southern Champion and Two Chicks from 1821 Fine Wines & Spirits, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy’s Zonin.—Daniel Marsteller
| U.S.—”Hot Brand” Spirits RTDs Year-to-Date1 | ||||
| Brand | Company | Total1 2021 Depltions |
2022 YTD2 Percent Change in Control States |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Noon Sun Sips | Spirit of Gallo | 8,835 | 140.0% | |
| Cutwater | Cutwater Spirits (ABI) | 1,975 | 139.4% | |
| Monaco | Atomic Brands | 1,910 | 192.1% | |
| 1800 Ultimate Margarita |
Proximo Spirits | 1,245 | -14.1% | |
| Devil’s Backbone | Devil’s Backbone Distilling Company (ABI) |
1,050 | + | |
| Crown Royal | Diageo North America | 975 | + | |
| Bacardi RTDs3 | Bacardi USA | 871 | -9.8% | |
| Long Drink | The Long Drink Co | 467 | + | |
| Canteen | Canteen Spirits | 439 | 32.0% | |
| Buzzballz4 | Southern Champion | 423 | 31.7% | |
| On the Rocks | Beam Suntory | 416 | 93.8% | |
| Ketel One | Diageo North America | 400 | 11.8% | |
| Two Chicks | 1821 Fine Wines & Spirits | 325 | 175.1% | |
| Absolut Cans | Pernod Ricard USA | 319 | 86.7% | |
| Total “Hot” RTD Brands | 19,650 | 78.2% | ||
| 1 Thousands of 9-liter cases. 2 Year-to-date through June. 3 Includes ready-to-serve and ready-to-drink 4 Excludes Chillers and Buzztallz (wine-based) Source: NABCA and IMPACT DATABANK © 2022 |
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Tagged : Absolut, BuzzBallz, Canteen Spirits, Cutwater, High Noon, Ketel One, Monaco, Two Chicks
