Cocktail Revival: Premium Spirits and Mixers Outshine Beer and Wine, per SPINS & Q Mixers New Research
- Spirit sales hit record levels (growing by 9% this year alone), while wine and beer sales have flattened (experiencing less than 3% sales growth in the past year)
- Natural and Premium mixers (ingredients used in cocktails) leading their category with 22% sales growth in the past year while traditional mixer sales stagnate (experiencing less than 2% sales growth)
- Retailers who capitalize on the Natural and Premium mixer trend are experiencing double-digit growth
CHICAGO, December 12, 2019 – With the summer craze for low-calorie hard seltzers behind us, consumers turn to fancier, healthier-for-you cocktails this holiday season. The rise of premium spirits and cocktail mixers is one of the hottest alcohol trends in years creating a new culture of mixology and surge in sales, according to SPINS, the leading provider of wellness-focused data. Overall cocktail mixer sales are up consecutively over the past few years with Natural and Premium mixers leading the way – growing sales by 22% in the past year alone.
“Seemingly overnight, traditional beverage brands with poor ingredient quality and high sugar have fallen out of favor. We’re living through tremendous shifts in the way people eat and drink. People want quality product ingredients at a fair price and the changing dynamics are now making their way into the spirits and mixers category,” says Tony Olson, CEO of SPINS.
Traditional mixers continue to dominate shelf space (owning 85% of the category) even though Natural and Premium brands are the products driving growth for the category, however, consumers are investing in high-quality mixers to be paired with their premium spirits.
For example, Q Mixers and their line of carbonated mixers are experiencing rapid growth with the rise in premium, at-home mixology. “Q Mixers is built on seemingly obvious insight: your favorite drink is best when your mixer is as great as your spirit. Our customers are looking for mixers with the same high-quality taste, look, and ingredients as their favorite foods and beverages,” says Jordan Silbert, CEO and Founder of Q Mixers, America’s fastest-growing premium mixer company.
According to SPINS data, the retailers who have been quick to capitalize on the premium mixer trend are experiencing double-digit growth. Some of the tactics retailers are using to join this new culture of mixology include:
- Creating centralized destinations near the alcohol aisle to help shoppers marry their spirits with premium mixers.
- Offering consumers recipes and demonstrations to help them shake it up at home.
- Providing non-alcoholic options for those wanting the experience but in a mocktail.
- Supporting products with eco-friendly packaging – a priority for millennial shoppers.
Mixer Category – Sales by Channel and Subcategory. MULO, Natural, and Specialty Gourmet Channels; 52 Weeks Ending 9/8/2019 vs Prior Years.
Spirit Sales by Price Segment 2008 to 2017, Source: Distilled Spirits Council.
About SPINS
SPINS is a wellness-focused data technology company and advocate for the Natural and Specialty Products Industry. For the last 20 years, SPINS has been committed to laying the foundation for the next generation of growth, providing dynamic data, actionable insights, and digital activation solutions that contribute to a healthier and more vibrant America. Learn more at www.spins.com.
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Julie Pappas
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