“Hard seltzer is poised to win the 4th of July once again this year,” says Caitlyn Battaglia, manager, Beverage Alcohol, Nielsen.
“Unlike other beer categories in recent years, hard seltzer has found great success in variety packs and the 4th of July last year was no exception to this trend. Consumers are increasingly being lured by choices, and as we continue to see new innovative flavors entering the market, variety packs are moving the needle to give consumers access to the convenience of hard seltzers as well as multiple flavor offerings.”
Last year, hard seltzers gained 150%, with sales rising to $16.1 million. Variety hard seltzer packs say 300% growth.
Indeed, hard seltzers may be the only good news for beer. Beer overall saw $800 million sales, “a huge total, by a decline of 1.5% from the same week a year earlier,” says Nielsen. Domestic premium beer sales were down 5.9%, Craft beer was down 2.5% last year and flavored malt beverages saw a 9.5% decline.
Hard cider last year saw sales of $9.4 million, up 8.5% from a year earlier, and canned wine sales were $2.8 million, up 56.6% from the like year-earlier week.
“Canned wine and the 4th of July is an easy marriage<” Battaglia says. “The convenient can container makes bringing wine to outdoor events often associated with the July 4 holiday–and summer in general–much easier and more accessible than the traditional glass bottle.
“The can has also proven to be an excellent vehicle for keeping up with consumer trends. In 2017, we saw a noticeable shift towards pink wine in cans, aligning with the broader rosé trend that has permeated alcohol,” she said, adding:.
“Canned wine won with the ready-to-drink trend in 2018 as well, with canned wine-based cocktails growing dollar sales more than 70% compared to the previous year. As health and wellness trends continue to make a ripple throughout the alcohol industry, this July 4 will likely see growth in these sorts of products within the canned wine space.”