Super-Premium Spirits Drive Solid Growth In U.S. Control States
February 15, 2022Spirits volumes rose 4.6% across the U.S. market’s control states in 2021, slower than the impressive 7.5% growth recorded in 2020—due to pantry loading as a result of the pandemic—but still better compared to the 3.7% increase registered in 2019. NABCA markets comprise roughly 23% of the U.S. spirits market by volume, according to Impact Databank.
Pre-packaged cocktails were the single-fastest growing spirits category in control states last year, jumping 38.5% by volume, to outpace other flourishing segments such as Tequila (+23.7%) and Irish whiskey (+13.4%). Brandy/Cognac (-4.4%) was the only segment to suffer a decline among control states in 2021. Among the 35 largest-selling spirits in control states, the fastest-growing items were all priced above $25 a 750-ml. on average—including Patrón Silver (+17.4%), 1800 Silver (+16.9%), Jameson (+16%), Maker’s Mark (+15.2%), and Grey Goose (+14.8%).
Pennsylvania surged 21% last year on a relatively easy comp, after temporarily shutting down all its retail outlets in 2020 during the initial Covid outbreak. Two other control states posted annual growth rates of above 5% in 2021—Alabama (+5.9%) and North Carolina (+5.1%). The largest control jurisdiction—Michigan (-0.3%)—lost volume last year, with New Hampshire (-0.8%) the only other NABCA market to register a decline in 2021. Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Ohio all rank among the top 10 spirits-consuming markets in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.—Juan Banaag
| U.S.—Top 10 Spirits Brands in Control States (thousands of 9-liter cases) |
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| Rank | Brand | Company | Origin/Type | 2020 | 2021 | Percent Change1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tito’s | Fifth Generation | Domestic Vodka | 2,536 | 2,877 | 13.4% |
| 2 | Smirnoff | Diageo North America | Domestic vodka | 1,971 | 1,981 | 0.5% |
| 3 | Fireball | Sazerac Co | Flavored Canadian Whisky | 1,647 | 1,819 | 10.5% |
| 4 | Captain Morgan | Diageo North America | Virgin Islands Rum | 1,377 | 1,396 | 1.3% |
| 5 | Bacardi | Bacardi USA | Puerto Rican Rum | 1,383 | 1,383 | 0.0% |
| 6 | Jack Daniel’s2 | Brown-Forman | Tennessee Whiskey | 1,056 | 1,095 | 3.7% |
| 7 | New Amsterdam | E.&J. Distillers | Domestic Vodka | 1,089 | 1,073 | -1.5% |
| 8 | Hennessy | Moet Hennessy USA | Cognac | 1,147 | 998 | -13.0% |
| 9 | Jose Cuervo | Proximo Spirits | Tequila | 899 | 948 | 5.5% |
| 10 | Jim Beam2 | Beam Suntory | Bourbon | 921 | 932 | 1.2% |
| Total Top 103 | 14,026 | 14,501 | 3.4% | |||
| 1 Based on unrounded data. 2 Excludes flavors. 3 Addition of columns many not agree due to rounding.Source: NABCA and IMPACT DATABANK © 2022 |
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Tagged : 1800, control states, Grey Goose, Jameson, Maker's Mark, NABCA, Patrón
