Impact’s “Blue Chip” Awards Highlight Industry’s Long-Term Stars

Each year, Impact salutes the top-performing wine, spirits, and beer brands in the U.S. market over the past decade with its “Blue Chip Brands” awards. Amid economic fluctuations, changing consumer preferences, and market upheaval, these standout brands have continued to thrive over the long term.

To meet Impact’s Blue Chip criteria, brands must show at least 10 consecutive years of volume growth, or average annual compound growth of at least 0.5% from 2013 through 2023 with positive growth in at least eight of those 10 years. In addition, the brands must have maintained gross margins of at least $25 million last year. Spirits and wine brands must meet a minimum volume threshold of 500,000 9-liter cases, while beers and FMBs must reach 5 million (2.25-gallon) cases.

This year, 35 spirits brands earned Impact Blue Chip honors. They come from a variety of categories, with whiskies and Tequila making up 25 winners between them. Vodka notched four Blue Chip brands, and rum, RTDs, Cognac, and gin are all represented by one brand each. The final two Blue Chip spirits come from the liqueurs category. Blue Chip spirits brands above 3 million cases include Tito’s, Crown Royal, Jack Daniel’s, Fireball, Jim Beam, New Amsterdam, Jose Cuervo, Jameson, Evan Williams, and Malibu.

The Blue Chip awards for the wine category include 23 winners this year, with the list split almost evenly between imports and domestic bottlings. There’s a range of styles on display, running from premium California table wine brands through European sparklers, and even a wine-based cocktail. California paces the list with 11 honorees, with Italy and New Zealand each fielding four Blue Chip brands apiece. Blue Chip wine brands above 1.4 million cases include Bota Box, Black Box, Josh Cellars, Stella Rosa, La Marca, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Bread & Butter, Decoy by Duckhorn, and La Crema.

This year’s Blue Chips from the beer and flavored malt beverage category number nine brands, including four labels each from the imported premium and FMB segments along with one domestic light brew. Overall, these nine brands have collectively expanded more than threefold over the past 10 years to total 486 million (2.25-gallon) cases last year. Blue Chip beer and FMB brands above 20 million cases include Modelo Especial, Michelob Ultra, Twisted Tea, Modelo Chelada, and Pacifico.

The full list of Blue Chip wines, spirits, and beers, along with data and analysis, appears in Impact’s October 15 issue. Click here to subscribe.

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