High Noon, Tito’s Propel Growth Among Top 10 Spirits Brands

The U.S. market’s top 10 spirits brands totaled 81.2 million 9-liter cases collectively last year, according to Impact Databank, accounting for nearly 30% of the overall spirits category. The market’s two largest spirits brands, Spirit of Gallo’s High Noon Sun Sips and Fifth Generation-owned Tito’s, have been the biggest drivers of volume growth in recent years, and both continue to climb rapidly so far in 2023.

High Noon vaulted into the top spot among all spirits brands last year with an 86% increase to 16.4 million cases, tapping into the trend toward canned cocktails. This year the brand expanded its range with a line of 4.5% abv Tequila-based seltzers selling in 8-packs of cans priced at $22. “We’re now able to target Tequila-first drinkers who haven’t had anything in the hard seltzer market that has appealed to them before,” Spirit of Gallo senior vice president and general manager Britt West told SND. “We are bringing new consumers not only to the brand but to the category.” High Noon has kept increasing at a torrid pace this year, jumping nearly 60% in control states in the year-to-date through June.

High Noon surpassed Tito’s as the top spirits brand in the U.S. last year, but the Texas-based vodka also continues to rise, totaling 11.55 million cases on 5% growth in 2022. With that performance, Tito’s accounted for 14% of the total U.S. vodka category last year. The brand’s percentage growth ramped up in control states in the year-to-date through June, registering a 10% increase.

Among other vodkas in the top 10, Smirnoff was down 2% by volume in control states in the first half, but the brand recorded 4% U.S. sales growth for Diageo in its fiscal year through June, driven by both the core vodka and flavor extensions. Gallo’s New Amsterdam was roughly flat in control states in the first half of 2023.

In brown spirits, Fireball expanded volume by 1.1% in control states in the year-to-date through June. That came after the brand increased 5.5% to 7.2 million cases in the U.S. in calendar 2022, according to Impact Databank. Crown Royal, including flavors, remained just ahead of Fireball in volume terms last year despite supply issues coming out of the pandemic, and Diageo is investing in the brand aiming for renewed gains moving forward. “To support the long‐term growth ambition of this brand, we are increasing our production capacity, up to 50,000 barrels per year, through a $200 million investment in a new carbon‐neutral distillery in Canada,” Diageo CEO Debra Crew recently noted.

Among American whiskies, Jim Beam climbed 6% in the first half in control states. “We are optimistic about the second half as we are starting to see signs of improvement in the U.S. market dynamics,” Beam Suntory CEO Albert Baladi noted. Baladi will step down in October after a transformational tenure, with company veteran Greg Hughes set to replace him as Beam Suntory’s chief executive. Brown-Forman-owned Jack Daniel’s slipped by volume in control states in the first half as the company hiked prices across its portfolio, including on the core Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.

In rum, Bacardi and Captain Morgan were both down slightly in control states through June. Bacardi recently unveiled its latest cask finish expression, Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish (45% abv, $35). Captain Morgan’s core Spiced Rum ($16) was recently reformulated to include real vanilla sourced from Madagascar, and also received an updated label featuring new gold accents.—Daniel Marsteller

Tagged : Fireball, High Noon, Jim Beam, New Amsterdam, Smirnoff, Tito's

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