Total non-alcoholic beverage sales remained solid despite deceleration in the two-week period ending November 19, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
Retail sales for the two-week period grew 12% year-over-year, compared to 13.6% in the four-week period and 13.1% for the 12-week period. Volume sales fell -0.6% (-0.2% for the four-weeks and -0.5% in the 12-weeks) while average pricing jumped up 12.6% (+13.8% for four-weeks and +13.6% for 12-weeks). On a three-year stack basis, total dollar sales were up 40% in the two-week period.
Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs)
Soda sales were up 14.4% in the two-weeks (+15.8% for four-weeks) while volume declined -1.1%. Average pricing rose 15.7% in the period. The Coca-Cola Company posted 17% dollar sales growth with positive 1.3% volume gain and 15.4% average pricing increase. PepsiCo sales rose 10.2% as volume dropped -4.5% while pricing improved 15.3%. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) grew 14% with a -2.1% volume slide and 16.5% pricing growth.
Energy Drinks
The energy category was up 8.9% in the two-week period, versus 10.7% growth for the four-weeks. Volume sales were down slightly (-0.9%) but were offset by a strong 9.9% average pricing increase.
Monster Energy sales grew 8.4% in the period, with +10.8% pricing offsetting a -2.2% volume decline. Red Bull was up 7.2%, with a -0.6% volume drop and 7.9% pricing raise. PepsiCo (Rockstar and MTN Dew) was down -5.4%, with a sharp -14.3% volume slide with 10.5% pricing growth.
Bang Energy continued to struggle amid its Chapter 11 realignment and DSD rebuild, reporting a -42.5% drop in sales in the two-weeks (compared to -39.7% in the four-week period), with volume falling a steep -44.2% and pricing up just 3%.
Meanwhile, performance energy brands have continued to maintain strong growth. CELSIUS, now distributed through PepsiCo, was up 130.2% in the two-weeks (+128.1% to volume and +0.9% pricing), while Nutrabolt/C4 grew 90.4% and Ghost rose 1286%. KDP (A Shoc), however, reported a -7.1% sales decline.
Starbucks (+10.2%) and ZOA (+9%) also saw positive growth in the two-weeks.
Bottled Water
Water dollar sales were up 14.8% in the two-weeks (+15.8% for four-weeks), with +0.9% volume and +13.8% average pricing. Private label products led category growth, up 27.3% (+5.5% volume), while Blue Triton Brands improved 14.1% (-5.7% volume). Coke (+7.8%), PepsiCo (+4.4%), KDP (+8.1%), Niagara Bottling (+20.4%) and Danone North America (+17.6%) all reported positive growth.
Sports Drinks
Category sales were up 11.2% in the two-weeks and 13.7% in the four-weeks. Volume fell -2.3% while pricing fueled the growth at +13.7%. PepsiCo (Gatorade) outpaced the category at +15.3% (-0.5% volume and +15.9% pricing). However, Coke (BodyArmor and Powerade) fell -6%, with volume down -10.2% and pricing up just 4.7%.
RTD Tea
Dollar sales for ready-to-drink tea rose 9% in the two-weeks, versus 10.6% growth in the four-week period. Positive 10.7% pricing offset a -1.5% volume hit. Category leader Lipton was down -1.1% in the period, but Coke (+15.3%), AriZona (+11.4%), and Milo’s Tea Company (+32.5%) all reported double digit growth.
Sparkling Flavored Water
Sparkling flavored water was up 4.3% in the two-weeks (+5.1% for four-weeks) with volume down -5.8% and pricing up 10.7%. Talking Rain (-1.1%), National Beverage Corp. (-1.8%), Coke (-32.2%) and Nestle (-26.3%) all saw sales fall in the period, while PepsiCo (+3.9%), Polar (+20.5%) and Spindrift (+32.5%) all gained. Waterloo Sparkling Water, included in Goldman’s data set for the first time, grew 62.1% to $112.6 million.
RTD Coffee
Coffee grew 8.8% in the two-weeks, versus 10.7% for the four-weeks, and saw positive 7.2% volume gains against just 1.5% pricing growth. Starbucks outpaced the category, up 10.2%, as did Danone (+29%) and Califia Farms (+17.9%). However, Coke’s portfolio (Dunkin’, Costa) reported sales down -26.6%.
Still Flavored Water
Category sales were up 5% for the two-week period (+7% in the four-weeks), with volume down -13.6% and pricing up 21.5%. Coke (+10.6%), PepsiCo (+9.1%), Hint (+8.6%) and good2grow (+8.6%) reported sales improvements while Kraft Heinz’s sales fell -18.2%.