The latest data set from NIQ showed a modest slowdown in sales growth for total BevAlc in the two-week period before June 29, according to analysis from Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
NIQ uses US x AOC (extended All Outlet Combined) including convenience stores to summarize multi-channel markets and aggregate all national cross-outlet market data, and includes certain retailers (such as Whole Foods Market) that other providers do not.
Here’s the overview:
- Sales dipped -1.9% in the two-week period, versus -0.7% in the four-week period and -0.9% in the 12-weeks.
- Volume declines intensified to -3.9% in the two-week period, compared to -2.4% in the four-week period and -3% in the 12-weeks.
- Pricing growth was up by +2.1% in the two-week period, popping up from +1.8% in the four weeks, compared to +2.2% in the 12-weeks.
- From a category standpoint, volume deteriorated across the board for wine, spirits, FMB, hard seltzer cider, and beer.
Ready-to-Drink Cocktails
Spirit-based RTDs slowed down at +7.5% in the two-week period, compared to +10.8% in the four-weeks and +27.8% over the 52-weeks. Wine-based RTDs also weakened, posting +19.5% growth in the two-week period, down from +21.1% in the four-week period and +26.5% in the 52-weeks.
High Noon continued to perform well with sales up +11.9% in the two-week period, cooling slightly from +16.8% in the four-weeks and down from +35.5% over the 52-weeks. Volume was up +11.1% in the two weeks with pricing steady at +0.8%.
Jack Daniels RTDs continued to see a decline, with sales hitting -26.6% in the two-week period, a drop from -25.8% in the four-weeks and a stark contrast to +60.9% growth in the 52-weeks.
Second-place in sales from High Noon is Cutwater, which saw sales dip a bit to +18.1%, with volumes up +15.5% and pricing up +2.2%. Nutrl also posted high growth (+37.8%) but slowed versus +103% in the 52-week period.
Dogfish Head Cocktails (-38.1%), Truly (-32.1%), and White Claw Spirits Cocktails (-45.5%) posted losses.
In spirit-based hard tea, Stateside’s vodka-based Surfside lemonade and hard teas and Boston Beer’s new vodka-based iced tea Sun Cruiser held a 0.9% and 0.6% share of spirits-based RTDs, respectively, in the latest 2-week data, with ACVs of 5% and 6% respectively.
Flavored Malt Beverages
FMB category growth decelerated to +1.1% in the two-week period, a slowdown from +3.1% in the four-week period and +11.8% in the 52-weeks. Volumes were down -0.5% (versus +1.4% in the four-weeks) and average pricing was steady at +1.6%.
Hard Tea showed resilience, with sales increasing by +17.2% in the two-week period, a dip from +19.9% in the four-week period and +29.5% over the 52-weeks, led by Twisted Tea (+9.9% in the two weeks down from +12.4% in the four.)
Hard Lemonade continued to struggle, with sales falling by -15.5% in the two-week period, down from -13.8% in the four-week period and -4.4% over the 52-weeks. The Simply Spiked decline continued with a -34.5% drop over the four-weeks versus -6.1% in the 52-weeks.
Hard Soda decelerated from +10.8% in the four-week period to +7.2% in the two-week period; the segment is at +31.5% for the 52-weeks. Hard MTN Dew sales were down -24.9% as the brand transitions out of Pepsi’s Blue Cloud distribution system.
Hard Seltzer
The hard seltzer category continues to see challenges, with sales falling by -10.9% in the two-week period, a slight fall from -9.6% in the four weeks and -12.8% in the 52 weeks. Volumes were down -14.3% (-13% for four-weeks and -16.2% for 52-weeks), while average pricing remained relatively flat at +4.0%.
Frontrunner White Claw saw sales fall to +2.9% in the two-week period versus +4.6% in the four-weeks and +2.3% in the 52-weeks. Truly (-23.2%) Topo Chico Hard Cider (-28.7%) and Lone River Ranch Water (-15.3%) all saw double-digit losses. On the other hand, Happy Dad Seltzer (+84.4%) and Model Ranch Water (+9.3%) posted gains.