Non-alcoholic beverage sales remained solid in early July as volume sales accelerated in the two-week period ending July 13, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ retail scanner data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
- Retail dollar sales grew +3.6% in the two-week period, compared to +3.9% in the four-week period and +3.3% in the 12-week period.
- Volume sales improved to +3.7% in the two-week period, up from +3.4% in the four-week period and +2.1% for the 12-week period.
- Average pricing decelerated, falling -0.1% in the two-week period, versus +0.5% in the four-week period and +1.2% in the 12-week period.
CSDs
Carbonated soft drink sales accelerated, growing +6.7% in the two-week period, compared with +5.1% in the four-week period. Volume sales also improved, up +3.7% (+0.6% for four-weeks) as average pricing growth slowed to +2.8% (+4.5% for four-weeks).
The Coca-Cola Company was ahead of the category at +7.8% (+5.9% for four-weeks) and volume rose +5.2%, with +2.5% to pricing. PepsiCo reported dollar sales growth of +1.3% (-0.2% for four-weeks) against flat volume sales and +1.4% average pricing. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) climbed +7.6% (+5.7% for four-weeks) as volume was up +5.5% and pricing grew +2%.
Among better-for-you brands, Poppi continued to grow triple-digits, in defiance of a class action lawsuit filed earlier this summer, as dollar sales grew +157% in the two-weeks and volume accelerated to 176%; average pricing dropped -6.9%. Meanwhile, stevia-sweetened brand Zevia saw its dollar sales decelerate to +1.4% (+4.7% in four-weeks) with volume falling -3.1% and average pricing up +4.6%.
A limited view of Olipop sales, classified under low calorie carbonated beverages, showed similarly strong growth, up 153.8% in the two-weeks with +168.7% volume and -5.6% pricing.
Energy Drinks
Energy drinks again saw year-over-year declines as dollar sales for the two-week period were down -0.3% (+0.4% for four-weeks). Volume sales dipped -1.8% (-1%) and average pricing was up +1.6% (+1.4%).
Category leader Monster Energy, excluding Bang, was consistent across both the two- and four-week periods, with dollar sales declining -3.1% as volume fell -3.4% and pricing increased just +0.3%. Red Bull improved to +2% dollar sales (+1.8%) with a -2.2% volume slide and +4.2% average pricing growth.
Celsius reported dollar sales growth of +14%, slowing from +15.2% in the four-week period. Volume sales were up +17.4% and pricing fell -2.9%. Its distribution partner, PepsiCo (Rockstar and MTN Dew), continued to drop with -21.6% dollar sales (-22.2%), -21.7% volume and just +0.1% pricing.
Emerging performance energy brands Nutrabolt/C4 (+18.6%), Ghost (+9.2%) and Alani Nu (+53%) all improved in the two-weeks, while 5-Hour Energy (-8%), PRIME (-68.1%), Starbucks (-88.9%) and A Shoc (-86.1%) all fell.
Bottled Water
Water sales were up +1.7% in the two-week period (+3.4% in the four-week period) as volume rose +4.5% (+5.3%) and average pricing declined -2.7% (-1.8%).
Private label improved +4.7% (+6%) in the two-week period with +5.9% volume growth and a -1.2% hit to pricing. BlueTriton Brands sales rose +3.1% (+6.2%) with +8.5% volume and a -5% pricing drop.
PepsiCo (+0.1%), CG Roxane (+2.7%), Danone North America (+6.5%), and Niagara Bottling (+7.6%) all reported positive dollar sales growth during the two-weeks while Coke (3.9%), Nestlé Holdings (-4.4%), Fiji (-7.3%), KDP (-2.1%), , Hint (-9.2%) and Liquid Death (-8.6%) all reported dollar sales declines.
Sports Drinks
Hydration drink dollar sales grew +2.8% in the two-week period, decelerating from a +5.9% increase in the four-week period. Volumes grew +1.5% (+3.8%) while average pricing was up +1.3% (+2%).
Gatorade (PepsiCo) improved +3.1% in the two-week period, decelerating from +7.1% in the four-weeks, with +0.8% volume (+3.6%) and +2.3% average pricing (+3.4%). Coke’s portfolio of BodyArmor and Powerade grew +3.2% (+5.2%) with volume up +2.7% (+4.7%) and average pricing equal in the two- and four-week periods at +0.5%.
PRIME continues to see sales fall year-over-year, but the burn slowed slightly as it reported -27.2% to retail dollar sales in the two-weeks (-28.5%) with volume diving -22% (-26%) and average pricing cut -6.7 (-3.4%). Electrolit is still seeing double-digit gains at +29.6% dollar sales (+32.7%) with volume jumping +25.5% (+27.8%) and average pricing up +3.3% (+3.8%).
Sparkling Water
Sparkling water sales have maintained high-single-digit growth this summer, up +8.7% in the two-weeks (+9.1%) with volume up +3.8% (+4.1%) and pricing up +4.7% across both the two- and four-week periods.
Category leader Talking Rain reported sales acceleration to +4.3% (+4.1%) with +4.1% volume (+3.4%) and decelerated +0.2% pricing (+0.7%). Private label products grew +3% (+3.7%) with volume flat in the two-week period (+0.5%) and pricing up +3% (+3.2%). LaCroix-maker National Beverage Corp dropped -5.1% in the two-week period (-3.1%) as volume was down -4.6% (-1.4%) and average pricing dipped -0.5% (-1.7%)
Nestlé Holdings (+0.6%), Polar (+7.9%), Coke (+28.7%), PepsiCo (+1.5%), Spindrift (+20.4%), Waterloo (+28.5%) and Liquid Death (+21%) all saw dollar sales improve in the two-week period.
RTD Coffee
Ready-to-drink coffee sales were down by -4.2% in the two-week period, slightly worse than 4.1% in the four-week period. Volumes fell -2.5%(-2.7%) as average pricing decreased -1.7% (-1.5%).
Starbucks sales descended -9.3% across the two- and four-weeks as volumes fell -12.1% (-12.4%) and pricing rose +3.2% (+3.6%).
Danone’s STOK was up +14% in the two-week period, once again the only tracked brand in the report to report positive dollar sales growth. Black Rifle Coffee Company (-4.1%), Coke (-10.5%), Califia Farms (-1.6%) and Kitu Life’s Super Coffee (-35.8%) saw dollar sales fall in the two-weeks.
Coconut Water
Though smallest in dollar value, coconut water was once again the fastest growing among tracked categories, up +15.5% in the two-week period (+19.8). Volume sales increased +16.3% (+21.2%) and average pricing was down -0.7% (-1.1%).
Category leader Vita Coco grew +8.9%, a sharp deceleration from +15% for four-weeks, and Danone-owned Harmless Harvest was up +19% (+21.5%).
Goya (+23.1%), private label (+23.5%), C2O (+29.7%), Sun Hing Foods (+6%) and Brooklyn Bottling Group (+43.1%) all improved in the two-week period.