Non-alcoholic beverage sales “remained healthy but decelerated” in the two-week period ending July 29, according to the latest analysis of NielsenIQ data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
Total dollar sales growth rose 7.6% year-over-year, down from +8.9% in the four-week period and +8.3% in the 12-weeks. Volume sales declines accelerated, falling -1.9% in the two-weeks versus -0.7% from the four-week period. Average pricing growth “remained robust and broadly stable,” Goldman reported, up 9.5%, roughly in line with +9.6% in the four-week period.
CSDs
Carbonated soft drink sales rose 8.6% in the two-week period, a slowdown from +10.6% in the four-weeks. Volumes declined -3.9% (worsening from -2.2% in the four-weeks) while pricing was consistent at +13.1% between the two- and four-week periods.
The Coca-Cola Company outpaced the category, up 9.8% in the two-week period, while volumes fell -2.7% and pricing rose +12.8%. PepsiCo grew 5.5% against -4.9% volume decline and +10.8% average pricing. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) increased dollar sales by 8%, with a -6.3% decline in volume offset by +15.3% average pricing.
Energy Drinks
Energy remained the fastest growing major beverage category as dollar sales rose +12.8% in the two-week period, versus +13.6% in the four-week period. Volume sales rose by 3.6% (the only category to see increases in volume) and average pricing climbed 8.9%.
Monster Energy reported dollar sales up 11.6% in the period, with volume increasing by 2% and average pricing up 9.4%. Red Bull was up 7.6% with volumes a more modest +0.9% and pricing up by 6.6%.
Performance energy leader CELSIUS grew dollar sales 162.5%, with +143.1% volume and 8% average pricing growth. Its primary distribution partner PepsiCo saw its energy portfolio of Rockstar and MTN Dew grow 9.8%, with a -4.8% volume decline and +15.3% price hike. Sales of Starbucks, another PepsiCo-aligned brand, were down -11.7% against a -20.5% volume slide.
As the brand becomes an official part of the Monster portfolio, Bang’s new owner will have to contend with continuing declines as the brand’s sales dropped -66% in the two-weeks and volume dropped -69.1%.
Other performance energy brands have continued to report strong growth, including KDP-aligned Nutrabolt/C4 (+70.6%), Alani Nu (+23.9%), and Anheuser-Busch-backed Ghost (+121.1%). Meanwhile, Up Time Sports (-3.5%), A Shoc (-37.2%) and ZOA (-44.8%) reported falling sales.
Bottled Water
Water dollar sales rose 4.9% in the two-week period, slowing from +6.2% in the four-weeks. Volumes were down -0.3% (+1.1% for the four-weeks) as average pricing increased 5.2%.
Blue Triton Brands reported sales up 1.7% in the period, while Coke rose 6.6% and PepsiCo gained by 0.7%. Fiji fell -4.2%, but other brands gained in the two-weeks, including CG Roxane (+3.4%), KDP (+4.1%), Niagara Bottling (+0.7%) and Danone North America (+12.2%).
Sports Drinks
Sales of sports drinks rose 7.9%, keeping with +8% in the four-week period. Volume declines of -3.3% were offset by 11.5% average pricing growth.
PepsiCo (Gatorade) was up 4.6% in the period (consistent with the four-weeks) as +10.9% pricing overcame a -5.6% volume slide. Coke’s Powerade (-3.6%) and BodyArmor (-7.2%) both continued their sales slip. Electrolit, meanwhile, was up 34.3% with +35.2% volume and -0.6% average pricing.
Data for fast-rising sports and energy drink brand PRIME was not included.
RTD Tea
Iced teas were up 3.4% in the two-weeks (+4.3% for four-weeks) with volumes down -5.6% and pricing up by 9.5%.
Lipton reported sales down -0.4% with steep -10.8% volume decline and +11.7% average pricing. Coke (+3.3%) AriZona (+6.5%) and Milo’s (+20.7%) posted positive sales growth while KDP (-12.3%), Peak Rock Capital (-11.8%) and Red Diamond (-10.9%) were down.
Yerba mate maker Guayaki grew sales by 23% with +16.9% volumes and +5.3% average pricing.
Sparkling Flavored Water
Dollar sales of sparkling flavored water were up by 1.3% in the two-week period, a deceleration from +2.7% in the four-weeks. Volumes fell -4.7% and average pricing was up by 6.3%.
Category leaders Talking Rain (-5.4%) and National Beverage Corp/LaCroix (-8.4%) were both down during the two-week period. PepsiCo’s Bubly (+10.8%), KDP-distributed Polar (+11.1%), Spindrift (+28.8%) and Waterloo (+56.4%) were up double-digits.
Others facing dollar sales declines included Coke’s AHA (-22.4%) and Nestle Holdings (-41.3%).
RTD Coffee
Coffee saw the most muted category sales growth in the two-weeks, up just 0.6%, a slowdown from +1.9% in the four-week period. Volume sales dropped by -6.3% while average pricing grew by 7.3%.
Starbucks reported dollar sales up by 3% in the two-weeks, versus +4.4% in the four-weeks, as pricing increased by 9% and volumes fell -5.5%. Danone’s STOK reported +10.9% sales growth in the two-weeks, alongside +3.9% volume sales and +6.8% average pricing. Black Rifle Coffee Company posted +26% dollar sales growth.
Coke’s portfolio fell -26.2% in the period, while Molson Coors dropped -8%.
Still Flavored Water
Still flavored waters grew 7.6% in the two-weeks and +8.3% in the four-weeks. Volumes were down by -5.9% and average pricing spiked +14.3%.
Coke (+6.8%) and PepsiCo (+24.2%) gained during the two weeks while Hint (-1.4%), Blue Triton (-33.2%), and Kraft Heinz (-20.2%) dropped. Kids drink brand good2grow, meanwhile, grew sales by 12.9%.