While malt-based hard seltzers dominate the ready-to-drink category, representing 48.9% of all RTD dollar sales, followed by FMBs. (34.9%), spirits RTDs (7%) is where the growth is, NielsenIQ says. Dollar sales of Spirits RTDs are up 15.5% from a year earlier. Wine RTDs (9.2% of share) are up 13.8%.
NielsenIQ says spirits seltzer are up 156.3% and Spirits RTD cocktails are up 125.8%, followed by Hard Kombuchas (+52.2%), Wine Cocktails (+42.7%), Hard Tea (+24.6%), Malt Seltzers (+23.8%), Canned Wine (12.7%), and Wine Seltzers (+0.8%).
Two categories, both at least a quarter-century old, actually saw a decline in dollar sales: Wine Spritzers were down 3% and Traditional FMBs were down 3.6%.
The number of RTD items are on the rise (+9.8% vs # of items year ago) and contributing to 20% of RTD sales.
Malt-based RTDs account for 83% of RTD innovation dollars, but only 46% of innovation items.
Product attributes traditionally confined to food and beverage categories are growing considerably in RTD alcohol categories—Among FMB/Ciders: probiotic group (+32%) and superfoods (+20%) | Among spirits prepared cocktails: free from added sugar (+711%) and no artificial sweeteners (+293%)
Online Ready to Drink dollars are up 15.1% vs year ago, compared to a -7.6% decrease in Beer, Wine, and Spirits
ecommerce dollar sales
Forty-seven percent of alcohol buyers are purchasing some form of Ready to Drink. Total Ready to Drink is driven by an increase in buyers (penetration) and average purchase size per trip, but new buyer growth has settled down vs year ago, however more buyers are now retained buyers and make up
the majority of Seltzer volume.