Accelerated pricing fueled non-alcoholic beverage sales as volume declined in the two-week period ending August 13, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
Overall price growth for the two-week period was 13.1% year-over-year versus 12.2% for the four-week period. Volume growth declines in CSDs, sparkling flavored water, still flavored water and bottled water offset the gains in pricing. Across the categories, volume was down -1.2% in the two-weeks versus -0.3% in the four-week period and -0.6% for 12-weeks.
On a three-year stack basis, RTD coffee and sports drinks led total dollar sales, up 33.2% year-over-year for two-weeks vs. 33.1% for four-weeks.
Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs)
Soda dollar sales were up 13.7% in the two-week period, flat from the four-week period and only up from 12.1% in the 52-weeks. The Coca-Cola Company led sales growth for the top three CSD makers with growth at 16.5% during the period, followed by KDP at 12.7% and PepsiCo up 9.7%.
Volume growth for PepsiCo dropped -8.4% in the two-week period and KDP fell -1.8% while Coke volumes rose modestly by 1.9%. Pricing was relatively flat for the two-weeks compared to the four-week period where Coke (+14.3%), Pepsico (+19.7%) and KDP (+14.7%) all increased double digits.
Energy Drinks
Overall energy drink sales rose slightly on a one-year basis, up 9% in the two-week period, versus 8.2% in the four-weeks and 7.9% during the 12-weeks. Volume sales rose 2.9% in the two-weeks compared to 2.3% in the four-week period while pricing was unchanged from two- to four-weeks at 5.9%.
Monster Energy Company saw dollar sales increase 8.4% (+7.3% for four-weeks) with volume up 1.8% (+1.1% over four weeks) and pricing elevated 6.5% compared to 4.9% in four-weeks. Red Bull sales grew to 5% (+9.6% for 52-weeks) while volume only rose 2.2% (8.4% for 52-weeks). Meanwhile, Bang lost more ground in sales amid its ongoing efforts to rebuild its DSD network, dropping -17.6% in dollar sales during the two-week period and -20.8% in volume on a modest price growth of 4%.
PepsiCo (Rockstar and MTN Dew) was also down -5.8% in dollar sales and -11.3% in volume with pricing up 6.2% over the two-weeks (7% in four-weeks). Sales grew triple digits for CELSIUS (+124.9%) and Nutrabolt’s C4 (+126.7%). Ghost jumped another 1286% in dollar sales with volume up 1231.1% in the two-weeks.
Bottled Water
Bottled water sales growth slowed in the two-weeks, up 13.4% (compared to 14.8% for the four-weeks). Volume dropped to -1.1% (+0.9% in four-weeks) offset by slightly elevated price growth of 14.7% in two-weeks versus 13.8% in four-weeks. Private label sales rose 27.1% with volume up only 0.7% and price growth jumping 26.1%. Blue Triton Brands sales grew 9.9% (-3.9% volume) in the period. Coke bottled water sales increased 4.6% (volume -1.5%) and PepsiCo sales rose 5% (-5.5% volume). KDP (+25.5%) and Niagara (+37.8%) continued to gain ground in dollar sales.
Sports Drinks
Overall sales were up 12% in the two-weeks while volume rose only 0.5% and pricing increased 9.9%. PepsiCo (Gatorade) was up 17.2% in dollar sales compared to 18.1% in the four-week period. Volume accelerated 4.5% in the two-week period whereas pricing growth was relatively stable holding at the same 12.1% in both the two-week and four-week periods. Coca-Cola’s sales fell -5% as volume was down -10.6% and pricing rose 6.3%.
RTD Tea
Tea posted a 10.3% increase in sales growth in the two-week period versus 5.9% in the 52-weeks. Volume was up 0.4% (-0.3% in four-weeks and -2% in 12-weeks). Pepsi/Lipton Tea dollar sales were up 9.2% with volumes falling back at -1.6% and pricing up 11%.
Sparkling Flavored Water
Flavored sparkling water increased slightly 7.2% in the two-week period, compared to 7.2% in four-weeks and 6.1% in 12-weeks. Pricing remained consistent, up 10.6% in two-weeks (+10.9% in four-weeks) and volume dipped by -3.1% (-2.9% in four-weeks). Dollar sales continued an upward trend for Spindrift (+25.7%) and Polar (+29.2%) while Coca-Cola (-28.6%) and PepsiCo (-2.5%) were down.
Coffee
Overall RTD coffee sales grew 12.9% during the two-weeks compared to 10% in four-weeks. Volume jumped to 12.6% versus the 9.8% in four-weeks and 3.1% in 12-weeks. Starbucks (+10.4%) and Coke (+3.8%) grew sales while Danone (+31.3%) continued its robust growth.
Still Flavored Water
Total sales in the category were up 2.1% in the two-weeks with pricing up 19.7% and volume sinking -14.7%. Coke sales were down -1.7% (-14.6% volume and +15.1% pricing) and PepsiCo sales grew 11.4% (-3.8 volume and +15.8% pricing)