Nine-liter spirits case sales in January were 3.3% than in January 2019, the National Alcoholic Beverage Control Association reports.
Idaho (15.1%), New Hampshire (12.3%), Pennsylvania (1.8%), and Wyoming (11.6%) reported monthly growth rates for January exceeding their twelve-month trends. The growth rates for Alabama (8.1%), Iowa (10.5%), Montgomery County Maryland (-12.8%), Maine (3.4%), Michigan (-12.4%), Mississippi (13.6%), Montana (-5.6%), North Carolina (11.3%), Ohio (9.8%), Oregon (3.6%), Utah (-17.8%), Virginia (4.8%), Vermont (4.9%), and West Virginia (11.9%) fell short of their twelve-month trends. Control state rolling-twelve-month-volume growth, 7.5%, mirrored December’s reported 7.5%. Spirits volumes are growing 3.3% year-to-date compared to 3.6% a year ago.
Control state spirits shelf dollars were up 10.4% during January while trending at 13.4% during the past twelve months. Iowa (15.2%), Idaho (23.0%), North Carolina (18.7%), New Hampshire (25.5%), Ohio (20.7%), Pennsylvania (4.9%), Virginia (15.4%), West Virginia (19.9%), and Wyoming (15.1%) reported growth rates exceeding their twelve-month trends. Alabama (14.4%), Montgomery County Maryland (-11.2%), Maine (9.1%), Michigan (-5.0%), Mississippi (25.0%), Montana (-0.7%), Oregon (11.6%), Utah (-16.1%), and Vermont (7.5%) grew shelf dollars at rates below their twelve-month trends. Shelf dollars in the control states are up 10.4% year-to-date compared to 6.2% last year.
Price/Mix for January is 7.1%, up from December’s reported 5% and continues to be driven in Control States by premiumization, NABCA said. During January 2020 through January 2021, the median price of 750 ML spirits volumes rose more than 4%, and the average price rose more than 5%. These growth rates are remarkable, the association added.
Cocktails Fastest-Growing Category
Cocktails, with 3% share of the nine-liter case control states spirits market, was January’s fastest-growing category with 50.1% reported and a twelve-month trend of 42.1%. Tequila, with 7% share, grew during January at 17.8% and 21% during the past twelve months. Vodka, with 33% share, grew during the same periods at -3.1% and 2.9%, respectively. Cocktails (50.1% during January, 42.1% twelve-month trend), Irish Whiskey (7.2%, 4.5%), and Scotch (2.6%, 1.9%) grew at rates above their twelve-month trends, while Brandy/Cognac (10.2%, 15.2%), Canadian Whiskey (4.7%, 7.1%), Cordials (3.3%, 4.0%), Domestic Whiskey (7.5%, 11.6%), Gin (-4.1%, 1.4%), Rum (-3.0%, 2.5%), Tequila (17.8%, 21.0%), and Vodka (-3.1%, 2.9%) all grew at rates below their twelve-month trends.
January’s nine-liter wine case sales growth rate was 2.8%. Pennsylvania (reporting 4.2% nine-liter-case growth for wines), New Hampshire (12.2%), Mississippi (10.8%), Utah (-22.5%), Montgomery County Maryland (-10.7%), and Wyoming (10.8%) 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 3.3%, up from December’s reported 3.1%.