During April nine-liter control states spirits case sales grew -1.6% over same period sales last year under the influence of a monster comp (17.5%) and calendar anomalies. Mississippi(-1.3%) and New Hampshire(-3.0%) reported monthly growth rates for April exceeding their twelve-month trends. The growth rates for Alabama(-3.1%), Iowa(-2.3%), Idaho(-2.0%), Montgomery County Maryland(9.4%), Maine(-9.0%), Michigan(-2.2%), Montana(-0.9%), North Carolina(1.2%), Ohio(-2.0%), Oregon(-1.7%), Pennsylvania(2.8%), Utah(-16.5%), Virginia(-0.4%), Vermont(-1.0%), West Virginia(-6.5%), and Wyoming(-13.2%) fell short of their twelve-month trends. Control state rolling-twelve-month-volume growth, 2.2%, is down from March’s reported 3.5%. Spirits’ volumes growth is -0.6% year-to-date compared to 7.4% a year ago.
Control state spirits shelf dollars are up 0.9% during April while trending at 5.9% during the past twelve months. New Hampshire(3.0%) reported a monthly growth rate for April exceeding its twelve-month trend. Alabama(-1.5%), Iowa(0.1%), Idaho(1.7%), Montgomery County Maryland(9.5%), Maine(-1.8%), Michigan(0.4%), Mississippi(0.9%), Montana(0.8%), North Carolina(6.3%), Ohio(0.2%), Oregon(3.4%), Pennsylvania(-0.7%), Utah(-16.7%), Virginia(2.8%), Vermont(1.0%), West Virginia(-5.7%), and Wyoming(-13.9%) grew shelf dollars at rates below their twelve-month trends. Shelf dollars in the control states are up 2.4% year-to-date compared to being up 15.9% last April.

Price/Mix for April is 2.5%, up from March’s reported 2.3%.

April’s control states growth rate was affected by calendar anomalies.

  • Utah, with 3% of control state nine-liter-case spirits volume, reported sales for 24 days this April compared to 30 days last year, artificially deflating sales and skewing control state results. Utah had six fewer selling days during this year’s April.
  • Six control states (Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, West Virginia, Wyoming) report calendar month sales and are wholesale only, i.e., they have no state stores or agencies. Michigan is also wholesale only but reports four- or five-week fiscal period sales. These seven states ship to licensees Monday through Friday. NABCA reports shipments from the warehouses as sales for all wholesale only control states. This April’s calendar had twenty-one shipping days compared to twenty-two last year, 4.5% fewer.
  • On net, there were 6 fewer selling days during April in the control states, 1% fewer, compared to last year.\
  • After equivalizing selling-day variations between this and last year’s April, the nine-liter-case-spirits growth rate is -0.9% with a rolling-twelve-month trend of 2.2% and YTD growth of -0.5%. April’s shelf-dollar growth rate is 1.4% with a rolling-twelve-month trend of 6.0% and YTD growth of 2.5%.
  • Equivalized price/mix for April is 2.3%.

Cocktails, with 4% share of the nine-liter case control states spirits market, was April’s fastest growing category with 29.0% reported and a twelve-month trend of 34.8%. Tequila, with 9% share, grew at 7.4% during April and 17.6% during the past twelve months. Vodka, with 32% share, grew during the same periods at -2.8% and 0.1%, respectively. Brandy/Cognac(-15.4% during April, -13.6% twelvemonth trend), Canadian Whiskey(-3.7%, -1.8%), Cocktails(29.0%, 34.8%), Cordials(-1.3%, 6.2%),
Domestic Whiskey(0.1%, 2.1%), Gin(-7.9%, -1.7%), Irish Whiskey(1.7%, 10.0%), Rum(-6.2%, -0.9%), Scotch(-5.8%, -1.3%), Tequila(7.4%, 17.6%), and Vodka(-2.8%, 0.1%) all grew at rates below their twelve-month trends.

April’s nine-liter wine case sales growth rate was -7.6%. Pennsylvania (reporting -6.7% nine-liter-case growth for wines), New Hampshire (-6.6%), Mississippi (0.7%), Utah (-22.6%), Montgomery County Maryland (-5.2%), and Wyoming (-5.4%) are the control states that are the sole wholesalers of wines and spirits within their geographical boundaries. Rolling-twelve-month wine volume growth in these six control states is –5.7%, down from March’s reported -3.7%.

 

9L Cases CM% Change

Shelf $CM % Chg

Price/Mix

Control States

Total Control States 

-1.6

0.9

2.5%

 

Central Region 

-0.7

0.0

0.7%

 IA, MD, MI, OH, PA, WV

NE Region 

-4.7

1.2

5.9%

 ME, NH, VT

NW Region 

-5.7

-2.3

3.4%

 ID, MT, OR, UT, WY

Southern Region 

-0.4

3.2

3.6%

 AL, MS, NC, VA

Click to review charts

ABOUT NABCA

Established in 1938, NABCA is the national association representing the Control State Systems - those jurisdictions that directly control the distribution and sale of beverage alcohol within their borders. Headquartered in Arlington, VA, NABCA’s mission is to support member jurisdictions in their efforts to protect public health and safety and assure responsible and efficient systems for beverage alcohol distribution and sales. For more information about the NABCA, visit www.nabca.org.