Non-alcoholic beverage sales continued to decelerate sequentially in the two-week period ending May 20, growing 8.2%, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
Dollar sales in the two-weeks slowed from 8.7% improvement in the four-week period and +11% for the 12-weeks. Volume sales fell -4.7% in the two-week period (-3.9% for four-weeks) and average pricing “remained robust and accelerated slightly,” up by 12.9% (+12.6% for four-weeks) according to the report.
CSDs
Carbonated soft drink sales grew 11.7% in the two-week period, even with the four-week period and down from 13.3% growth in the 12-week period. Volume sales dropped by -4.5% (worsening from -4.1% in the four-weeks) as average pricing rose 16.9%.
- The Coca-Cola Company performed roughly in line with the total category, reporting dollar sales growth of 11.5%, with -4.5% volume decline and a 16.8% pricing increase.
- PepsiCo accelerated slightly, up 9.1%, compared to +8.3% in the four-week period. Average pricing growth of 17.1% drove sales as volumes fell -6.9% (improving from -7.9% in the four-weeks).
- Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) was up 11.8%, with volumes falling -6.5% and average pricing increasing sharply, up 19.6%.
Energy Drinks
Dollar sales of energy drinks accelerated slightly in the two-weeks, up 14% compared to 13.1% growth in the four-weeks. Volume was up 3.7% (+2.9% for four-weeks) while average pricing remained consistent with the four-week period at +10%.
Number three category player PepsiCo (Rockstar and MTN Dew) neared the billion-dollar threshold, growing dollar sales 10.9% in the two-weeks to $997.1 million (volume fell -5%, offset by a 16.7% average price hike), while performance energy player Celsius – which has an exclusive distribution agreement with PepsiCo – grew sales by 145.7% to $921.6 million.
- Category leader Monster Energy grew sales by 11.7% in the two-weeks (+10.2% for four-weeks) with volume improving by 1.4% and pricing up 10.1%.
- Red Bull grew by 10.5% in the two-weeks (+9.7% for the four-week period) with volume up 2% and pricing climbing 8.3%.
- Once the third place brand in the category, sales of Bang dropped -59.4% in the two-week period, with volume falling by -62.1% and pricing up 7.1%. The company was ordered by a court last month to remove all cans containing its “Super Creatine” ingredient from the market.
- Other brands showed strong double- and triple-digit sales growth in the two-week period including Nutrabolt/C4 (+69.3%), Alani Nu (+27.2%), Ghost (+163.3%) and KDP (+18.8%). Starbucks (-5.5%), A Shoc (-28.9%), Up Time Sports (-5.6%) and ZOA (-38.5%) were down.
Bottled Water
Water was up 2% in the two-week period, decelerating from 3.2% growth in the four-weeks. Volume sales fell by -4.2% with a 6.5% average pricing increase. Sales data for private label products was not included.
- Blue Triton Brands grew just 0.4% in the period (decelerating from +1.9% in the four-weeks), as 14.7% pricing growth offset -12.5% volume.
- Coke grew dollar sales +2.9% while CG Roxane (+2.7%) and Danone North America (+11.7%) also all saw positive growth.
- PepsiCo (-0.6%), Fiji (-4%), KDP (-4.1%) and Niagara Bottling LLC (-6.6%) faced sales slides in the two-week period.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks sales slowed to 2.9% growth in the two-weeks, versus 5.8% growth in the four-week period. Volume sales dropped double-digits, -11.7% (-9.4% in the four-weeks) as pricing compensated for the loss, up by 16.6%.
- PepsiCo (Gatorade) fell -0.4% in the two-weeks, down from +1.6% in the four-weeks, with volume down 14.2% and average pricing up 16%.
- Coke (Powerade) was down -11.7% in the period and its BodyArmor brand, listed separately in the data, was down -13.4%.
- Mexican brand Electrolit improved by 13.2% in the period, as volumes rose by 12% against an average pricing increase of just 1.1%.
RTD Tea
Liquid tea grew sales 4.7% in the two-week period, accelerating slightly from 4.6% growth in the four-weeks. Volume sales fell -6.7% and average pricing grew 12.2%.
- Category leader Lipton was up just 0.2% in the period, against a -13.1% volume drop and +15.2% average pricing.
- Coke was up 5.3% in the period, along with AriZona (+7.1%) and Milo’s Tea Company (+22.7%).
- Yerba mate maker Guayaki reported accelerated sales growth, up 25.8% in the two-weeks (+22.6% for four-weeks) as 19.7% volume growth and 5.1% average price increase bolstered its performance.
Sparkling Flavored Water
Sparkling flavored water sales improved 3.3% in the two-week period, compared to +4.1% in the four-week period. Volume fell -5.8% and pricing rose 9.7%.
- Category leader Talking Rain reported a -2.6% dollar sales decline in the two-weeks, and second place player National Beverage Corp., maker of LaCroix, fell by -5.3%.
- PepsiCo (Bubly) accelerated sales, up 3.1% (+2% in the four-week period). Polar (+19.5%), Spindrift (+31%), Waterloo (+63.7%), and BUBBL’R (+35.9%) all saw double-digit growth in the period.
- Coke (AHA) fell -32.3%, accelerating its slide from a -31% decline in the four-week period.
RTD Coffee
Coffee sales in the two-week period were consistent with the four-week period, climbing up 6.2%. Volume improved by 2.3% and pricing was up 3.8%.
- Starbucks dollar sales grew 7.1% on 9.1% volume growth and a -1.8% average pricing decrease.
- Danone (STOK) was up 14.6%, with +14.9% pricing and a volume slide of -0.2%.
- Black Rifle Coffee Company grew dollar sales by 42%, with volume up 33% and average pricing up by 6.8%
- Coke’s coffee portfolio was down -12% in the period as volumes plunged -32.3%.
Still Flavored Water
Still flavored water dollar sales grew 4.6% in the two-week period, versus +5.3% for the four-week period. Volume sales fell -8.9% and average pricing was up by 14.9%.
- Coke (+7.3%) and PepsiCo (+16.1%) saw positive dollar sales growth in the two-week period.
- Hint was down -5.1% in the two-week period as volume slid -12.5% and pricing rose 8.5%.
- Blue Triton (-33.8%), Kraft Heinz (-20.4%) and good2grow (-14.1%) all reported double-digit drops in dollar sales.