Control State Spirits Volume Up 7% in First Ten Months of the Year
December 10, 2020After a tepid 2% gain in August, spirits volumes in control states soared 18% in September, and then surged a further 14% in October, according to the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA). For the first ten months of 2020, NABCA spirits volumes advanced 9%, compared to an increase of just 3.7% for all of last year. The full impact of the pandemic and the resulting recession have yet to be fully ascertained, but nine control states posted double-digit gains year-to-date through October, including 15% growth for Michigan, 11% for Ohio, and 14% for North Carolina, to more than offset the 11% decline in Pennsylvania. Last year, Michigan and Pennsylvania were the sixth- and seventh-largest spirits-consuming states overall, according to Impact Databank.
Sazerac leads all spirits marketers in control states with over 16% volume share for the first ten months of 2020, followed closely by Diageo, at nearly 15% share. Diageo is still far and away the largest spirits company in the U.S. overall, and had nearly double the retail value of No.-2 Beam Suntory last year, according to Impact Databank. Proximo Spirits was the fastest grower among the ten largest suppliers in NABCA with a 27% gain, largely due to a 47% surge by Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila. Next-fastest was Fifth Generation Inc, makers of Tito’s vodka, the top-selling spirit in control states, with an 18% volume increase year-to-date. Other fast-growing brands year to-date in control states include Hennessy Cognac (+40%) and New Amsterdam vodka (+29%).
All the major spirits categories increased at double-digit rates in October in control states, led by pre-mixed cocktails (+41%), Tequila (+39%), and Irish whiskey (+19%). Year-to-date, American whiskies (+13%), Cognac (+41%), pre-mixed cocktails (+43%), and Tequila (+22%) were the only segments to register double-digit gains through October, according to NABCA. American whiskies have been propelled by super-premium Bourbon and flavors, while canned, ready-to-drink brands have driven growth in pre-mixed cocktails. Super-premium growth has also driven Tequila’s rise, led by Patrón and Don Julio, while total Cognac volume is projected to surpass domestic brandy (excluding flavors) by year-end for the first time ever, according to Impact Databank.—Natalia Razzo
| U.S. — Top 10 Spirits in Control States, Year-to-Date (millions of cases) |
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| Rank | Brand | Company | Type/Origin | Ten Months Ending October 2019 |
Ten Months Ending October 2020 |
Percent Change1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tito’s | Fifth Generation | Domestic Vodka | 1.78 | 2.10 | 17.9% |
| 2 | Smirnoff | Diageo North America | Domestic Vodka | 1.53 | 1.63 | 6.2% |
| 3 | Crown Royal2 | Diageo North America | Canadian Whisky | 1.21 | 1.38 | 14.5% |
| 4 | Fireball | Sazerac Co. | Flavored Canadian Whisky | 1.16 | 1.31 | 13.3% |
| 5 | Bacardi | Bacardi USA Inc. | Puerto Rican Rum | 1.11 | 1.16 | 4.3% |
| 6 | Captain Morgan | Diageo North America | Virgin Islands Rum | 1.07 | 1.11 | 3.3% |
| 7 | Jack Daniel’s2 | Brown-Forman Beverages Worldwide | Tennessee Whiskey | 1.05 | 1.10 | 5.1% |
| 8 | Jim Beam2 | Beam Suntory Inc. | Bourbon | 0.97 | 1.09 | 12.2% |
| 9 | Hennessy | Moët-Hennessy USA | Cognac | 0.70 | 0.97 | 39.8% |
| 10 | New Amsterdam | E.&J. Distillers | Domestic Vodka | 0.69 | 0.89 | 29.3% |
| Total Top 103 | 11.26 | 12.74 | 13.1% | |||
| 1 based on unrounded data 2 includes flavors 3 addition of columns may not agree due to roundingSource: NABCA and IMPACT DATABANK © 2020 |
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