Control States spirits case sales grew 6.2% in February from the same period a year earlier, National Alcoholic Beverage Control Association reports. Maine (11.8%), Michigan (14.3%), Montana (12.9%), New Hampshire (8.5%), Pennsylvania (2.3%), Utah (7.5%), and West Virginia (17.8%) all reported monthly growth rates for February exceeding their twelve-month trends.
The growth rates for Alabama (7.8%), Iowa (9.2%), Idaho (8.9%), Montgomery County Maryland (-17.2%), Mississipp i(9.4%), North Carolina (3.9%), Ohio(7.4%), Oregon (-0.4%), Virginia (0.9%), Vermont (1.4%), and Wyoming (6.2%) fell short of their 12-month trends. Control state rolling-12-month volume growth, 7.7%, mirrored January’s reported 7.7%. Spirits volumes are growing 5.0% year-to-date compared to 4.3% a year ago.
Control state spirits shelf dollars were up 13% during February while trending at 13.9% during the past twelve months. Maine (17.1%), Michigan (23.4%), Montana (16.2%), New Hampshire (18.3%), Pennsylvania (7.7%), Utah (10.6%), and West Virginia (24.9%) reported growth rates exceeding their twelve-month trends. Alabama (14.0%), Iowa (14.7%), Idaho (15.4%), Montgomery County Maryland(-14.7%), Mississippi(16.7%), North Carolina(10.5%), Ohio(17.8%), Oregon(5.4%), Virginia(7.1%), Vermont(3.6%), and Wyoming(5.6%) grew shelf dollars at rates below their twelve-month trends. Shelf dollars in the control states are up 11.9% year-to-date compared to 7.2% last year.
Price/Mix for February is 6.8%, down from January’s reported 7.1%.
Price/Mix continues to be driven in the control states by premiumization. During January 2020 through February 2021, the median price of 750 ML spirits volumes rose more than 4%, and the average price rose more than 6%. These growth rates are remarkable.
During the period March through January of 2020, the control states’ on- and off-premise markets behaved capriciously. February is no exception. During the twelve-month period ending February 2020, the off-premise monthly spirits share averaged 81%. The off-premise monthly shares of the control states market during March 2020-February 2021 were 91%, 99%, 96%, 90%, 89%, 89%, 88%, 88%, 91%, 94%, 90%, and 88% respectively. This sequence suggests an irregular on-premise marketplace’s recovery. Short term trends suggest the control state off-premise share for March will be above historical levels as the on-premise marketplace recovery continues.
Cocktails, with 3% share of the nine-liter case control states spirits market, was February’s fastest growing category with 44.6% reported and a twelve-month trend of 44.0%. Tequila, with 8% share, grew during February at 19.2% and 21.5% during the past twelve months. Vodka, with 33% share, grew during the same periods at -0.6% and 2.6%, respectively. Canadian Whiskey(9.8% during February, 8.0% twelve-month trend), Cocktails(44.6%, 44.0%), Cordials(8.9%, 4.7%), Irish Whiskey(5.4%, 4.4%), and Scotch(3.7%, 2.5%) grew at rates above their twelve-month trends, while Brandy/Cognac(16.2%, 16.6%), Domestic Whiskey(8.6%, 11.8%), Gin(-0.1%, 1.5%), Rum(1.3%, 2.8%), Tequila(19.2%, 21.5%), and Vodka(-0.6%, 2.6%) grew at rates below their twelve-month trends, NABCA said.
February’s nine-liter wine case sales growth rate was 0.3%. Pennsylvania (reporting -2.3% nine-liter-case growth for wines), New Hampshire (11.3%), Mississippi (-1.0%), Utah (4.8%), Montgomery County Maryland (-7.5%), and Wyoming (15.8%) are the control states that are the sole wholesalers of wines and spirits within their geographical boundaries. Rolling-twelve-month wine volume growth in these six control states is 3.1%, nearly flat with January’s reported 3.3%.