During August nine-liter control states spirits case sales grew 2.2%, a perfunctory growth rate unaffected by an innocuous comp (1.8%), over same period sales last year, the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association reports.
Montgomery County, Maryland (11.1%), Maine (11.3%), Utah (5.4%), and Vermont (3.5%) reported monthly growth rates for August exceeding their 12-month trends.
Growth rates for Alabama (3.2%), Iowa (4.3%), Idaho (-1.3%), Michigan (-2.9%), Mississippi (-3.6%), Montana (8.5%), North Carolina (0.6%), New Hampshire (-2.1%), Ohio (2.2%), Oregon (-0.4%), Pennsylvania (10.1%), Virginia (0.6%), West Virginia (0.1%), and Wyoming (-1.7%) fell short of their 12-month trends. Control state rolling-12-month-volume growth, 6.7%, was flat with July’s reported 6.7%. Spirits’ volumes are growing 5.5% year-to-date compared to 6.9% a year ago.
August’s three-year CAGR of rolling-twelve-month 9-liter case volumes, 5.3%, is the third highest recorded 3-year growth period in the control states during the 21st century. Three-year CAGRs calculated for the past six rolling-twelve-month periods are strikingly higher than those calculated for their year ago counterparts. The 21-year control state CAGR of 3.1% demonstrates that the last six three-year growth periods are significantly above the average.
Control state spirits shelf dollars were up 4.9% during August while trending at 12.9% during the past twelve months. Montgomery County Maryland (12.2%), Maine (15.0%), and Utah (10.0%) reported growth rates exceeding their twelve-month trends. Alabama (3.7%), Iowa (8.0%), Idaho (2.8%), Michigan (-0.2%), Mississipp i(-1.2%), Montana (10.5%), North Carolina (6%), New Hampshire (0.5%), Ohio (5%), Oregon (4.1%), Pennsylvania (10.2%), Vermont (7.4%), Virginia (5.3%), West Virginia (1.9%), and Wyoming (-1.4%) grew shelf dollars at rates below their twelve-month trends. Shelf dollars in the control states are up 11.6% year-to-date compared to 12.0% last August.
Premiumization continues to drive Price/Mix in the control states. During August 2021, the median and weighted average prices of 750 ML spirits volumes sold in those control states that set the retail price point continued to be reported at historically high levels. During August, the median price was $24.99, and the weighted average price was $17.40. During last year’s August, these prices were $24.71 and $16.92, respectively.
Price/Mix for August is 2.7%, down from July’s reported 3.2%.
Cocktails, with 3% share of the nine-liter case control states spirits market, was August’s fastest growing category with 48.6% reported and a twelve-month trend of 38.5%. Tequila, with 8% share, grew at 14.1% during August and 24.9% during the past twelve months. Irish Whiskey, with 2% share, grew during August at 12.8% and 14.8% during the past twelve months. Vodka, with 32% share, grew during the same periods at -0.1% and 1.7%, respectively.
Cocktails (48.6 during August%, 38.5% twelve-month trend) grew at a rate above its twelve-month trend, while Brandy/Cognac (-9.4%, 5.1%), Canadian Whiskey (-3.2%, 3.6%), Cordials (5.5%, 12.5%), Domestic Whiskey (1.9%, 8.2%), Gin (-2.2%, 1.1%), Irish Whiskey (12.8%, 14.8%), Rum (-2.0%, 2.3%), Scotch (-2.7%, 3.4%), Tequila (14.1%, 24.9%), and Vodka (-0.1%, 1.7%) grew at rates below their twelve-month trends.
August’s nine-liter wine case sales growth rate was -4.0%. Pennsylvania (reporting -3.7% nine-liter-case growth for wines), New Hampshire (-4.0%), Mississippi (-10.8%), Utah (1.0%), Montgomery County Maryland (-2.5%), and Wyoming (-3.9%) 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 0.3%, flat with July’s reported 0.3%.