All channel non-alcoholic beverage sales saw “robust” growth across categories in the period ending December 4, according to an analysis of NelsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research. Beverage dollar sales were up 16.1% in the two-week period, compared to 13.8% in the four-weeks. On a two-year stack basis, total dollar sales rose 23.4%.
How did the top companies do?
PepsiCo total company dollar sales accelerated, up 12% in the two-weeks ending December 4. In the four-weeks, sales were up 10.7% and increased 10.2% in the 12-weeks. Salty snack sales were up 13% for the two-weeks. Volume sales rose a modest 0.9% while average pricing increased 11.1%. On a two-year stack basis, dollar sales were up 17.6% in the two-week period.
The Coca-Cola Company also reported accelerated growth, improving 14.4% in the two-weeks (+12.2% in the four-weeks and +11.3% for 12-weeks). Total volume sales rose 1.8% and pricing climbed 12.6% in the period. On a two-year stack basis, dollar sales were up 19.3% for the two-weeks.
Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) jumped significantly in the two-week period, growing 14.7% compared to +10.9% for four-weeks and +8.8% for 12-weeks. A strong 6.4% volume increase and an 8.3% rise in average pricing contributed to the results. On a two-year stack basis, total company dollar sales in the two-weeks rose 17.5%.
What about energy drinks?
Energy drink dollar sales grew 16.4% in the two-weeks, compared with 15.5% in the four-weeks and 13.7% in the 12-weeks. Total volume increased 10.8% while average pricing grew by 5% in the two-weeks. On a two-year stack basis, energy drink dollar sales improved 25.8% in the two-week period.
Monster’s market share in the two-weeks fell to 38.2% while Red Bull gained at 37.6% share. Bang’s share of the category fell to 7.3% and PepsiCo slid to 5.9%.
Monster was up 12.1% in the two-week period (+10.9% for four-weeks and +8.6% for 12-weeks), with volumes growing 57.2% and average pricing increasing 4.6%. Dollar sales of core green Monster rose 13.6% in the two-weeks and Monster Zero Ultra reported strong 30.5% growth. Java Monster also performed well, up 17.9% and Monster Rehab rose 24.6%. Meanwhile, sales of REIGN Total Body Fuel were flat in the two-weeks and down 1.6% in the four-week period. On a two-year stack basis, Monster dollar sales were up 19% in the two-weeks.
Red Bull dollar sales were up 19.2% in the two weeks (+18% for four-weeks and +17.1% for 12-weeks). Volume increased 18.5% in the period and average pricing rose 0.6%. Core Red Bull dollar sales were in line with total company growth of 19.2% in the two-weeks. Summer Editions improved 3.6%. On a two-year stack basis, Red Bull dollar sales grew 34.3% in the two-week period.
Bang sales accelerated, up 4.1% in the two-weeks (+3.3% for four-weeks and +2.9% for 12-weeks). Total volume sales increased 2.2% and average pricing grew 1.8% in the period. On a two-year stack basis, Bang dollar sales were up 7.7% in the two-week period.
PepsiCo, which distributes Bang in the U.S., grew its energy drink portfolio (Rockstar and MTN Dew) by 3.5% in the two-week period (+3.8% for four-weeks and flat in the 12-weeks). Total volume fell 2.3% in the period and average pricing was up 5.9%. On a two-year stack basis, PepsiCo dollar sales are down 11.9% in the two-week period.
CELSIUS sales were “very strong,” according to Goldman, up 233.9% for the two-weeks (+215.7% for four-weeks and +225.6% for 12-weeks) with a 2.1% market share for the four-weeks. Volume sales rose 217.7% in the two-weeks and average pricing grew 5.1%. On a two-year stack basis, CELSIUS sales are up 313% in the two-weeks.
How did other categories do?
Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs): Soda sales were up 14.4% in the two-week period ending December 4. Coke’s CSD sales grew 15.8% in the two-weeks, while PepsiCo reported 12% growth and KDP was up 16.3%.
Bottled Water: Bottled water rose significantly, up 20.4% in the two-weeks (+15% for four-weeks). Private label sales, the largest share of the category, grew 18.7% in the period. Blue Triton Brands, the largest branded water company and owner of the Nestlé Waters North America portfolio, reported 18.5% dollar sales growth in the two-weeks (up from 10.5% for the four-weeks). Other water makers saw similarly robust results, including Coke (+18.1%), PepsiCo (+23.9%), KDP (+17.9%), Danone North America (+14%) and The Kraft Heinz Company (+46.8%).
Sports Drinks: Sports drinks were up 25.7% in the two-week period, with growth led by BodyArmor (+53.4%), followed by Gatorade-owner and category leader PepsiCo (+19.6%). Coke’s other sports drinks (Powerade) were up 11% and private label sales jumped up 69.7%.
RTD Tea: Ready-to-drink tea grew 7.3% in the two-weeks, led by 54.4% growth from Milo’s Tea Company. Pepsi/Lipton was up 7.6% and AriZona increased 5%. Coke fell 7.7% in the space.
Sparkling Flavored Water: Sparkling water sales rose 9.3% for the two-weeks. Coke (AHA) led category growth, up 35.3%, followed by Spindrift, which was up 31.9%. Market share leader Talking Rain (+9.7%), LaCroix maker National Beverage Corp (+5.1%), Bubly maker PepsiCo (+4.2%), Polar (+3.2%) and Nestlé Holdings (+2.3%) also posted positive growth in the two-week period.
RTD Coffee: Liquid coffee increased 13.4% in the two-week period, with dollar sales growth driven by smaller brands as market share leader PepsiCo/Starbucks fell 1.2%. Danone North America (+42.7%%), Coke (+76.2%) and Califia Farms (+37%) all saw double digit increases.
Still Flavored Water: Flavored water sales grew 23.6% in the two-weeks. Recently acquired In Zone Brands (good2grow) was up 113.5% in the period and The Kraft Heinz Company was up 47.1%. Hint, now operating under an interim chief executive, grew 42.8%. Category leader Coca-Cola also performed well, up 36.5% and PepsiCo climbed 26.3%.