During January nine-liter control states spirits case sales grew 3.6% over same period sales last year despite a huge comp. Alabama(4.5%), Iowa(3.2%), Idaho(5.9%), Michigan(2.0%), North Carolina(5.5%), Ohio(4.6%), Oregon(3.9%), Pennsylvania(5.1%), Utah(5.0%), Virginia(5.5%), Vermont(2.0%), and West Virginia(6.9%) reported monthly growth rates for January exceeding their twelve-month trends. The growth rates for Maine(-1.6%), Montgomery County Maryland(0.6%), Mississippi(1.9%), Montana(-5.4%), New Hampshire(-0.6%), and Wyoming(-2.3%)fell short of their twelve-month trends. Control state rolling-twelve-month volume growth, 3.2%, was down compared to December’s reported 3.7%. Spirits volumes have grown 3.6% year-to-date compared to 10.9% a year ago.
Control state spirits shelf dollars were up 6.2% during January while trending at 5.8% during the past twelve months. Alabama(6.8%), Iowa(5.6%), Idaho(8.9%), Montgomery County Maryland(8.5%), Michigan(4.5%), North Carolina(8.9%), Ohio(8.0%), Pennsylvania(7.2%), Utah(6.7%), Virginia(8.8%), Vermont(4.9%), and West Virginia(7.7%) reported growth rates exceeding their twelve-month trends. Maine(1.4%), Mississippi(3.4%), Montana(-4.9%), New Hampshire(0.5%), Oregon(5.8%), and Wyoming(-0.7%) grew shelf dollars at rates below their twelve-month trends. Shelf dollars in the control states are up 6.2% year-to-date compared to 13.5% last year.
Price/Mix for January is 2.6%, up from December’s 2.1%.
January’s growth rate was effected by calendar and operational-related anomalies in the control states.
- As of March 2019, retail outlets selling spirits in West Virginia, which previously were not open for business on Sunday, are now open. Spirit retailers in West Virginia had four additional selling days during this year’s January compared to last year’s.
- On net, there were five more selling days, 1% more, during January in the control states compared to last year’s January.
- Friday is the biggest sales day in the control states. January 2020 had five Fridays compared to January 2019’s having had four.
- January 2020’s rather robust 3.6% growth rate is remarkable considering January 2019’s comp was 10.9%, effected, in part, by Michigan and Utah reporting five weeks of sales for January 2019 compared to four weeks of sales for January 2018.
- After equivalizing selling day variations between this year’s January and last year’s, January’s nine-liter case spirits growth rate is 4.0% with a rolling-twelve-month trend of 3.6%. January’s shelf-dollar growth rate is 6.6% with a rolling-twelve-month trend of 6.3%.
- Equivalized price/mix for January is 2.6%.
Tequila, with 7% share of the nine-liter case control states spirits market, was January’s fastest growing category with 14.1% reported and a twelve-month trend of 10.9%. Cocktails, with 2% share, grew at 13.6% with a twelve-month trend of 10.5%. Vodka, with 34% share, grew during the same periods at 2.8% and 2.5%, respectively. Cocktails(13.6% during January, 10.5% twelve-month trend), Cordials(4.3%, 2.0%), Domestic Whiskey(7.9%, 6.4%), Gin(0.9%, -0.3%), Irish Whiskey(8.8%, 8.4%), Rum(-0.4%, -0.8%), Scotch(2.9%, 0.1%), Tequila(14.1%, 10.9%), and Vodka(2.8%, 2.5%) grew at rates above their twelve-month trends, while Brandy/Cognac(-2.1%, 1.8%) and Canadian Whiskey(0.0%, 2.3%) fell short.
January’s nine-liter wine case sales growth rate was 1.0%. Pennsylvania (reporting 2.5% nine-liter case growth for wines), New Hampshire (-0.1%), Utah (2.0%), Mississippi (-2.8%), Montgomery County Maryland (-1.7%), and Wyoming (-5.6%) 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 was -2.2%, lagging December’s reported -1.8%.
|
9L CasesCM% Change |
Shelf $CM % Chg |
Price/Mix |
Control States |
|
|
Total Control States |
3.6 |
6.2 | 2.6% |
|
|
Central Region |
3.7 |
6.3 |
2.6% |
IA, MD, MI, OH, PA, WV |
|
NE Region |
-0.6 |
0.3 |
1.0% |
ME, NH, VT |
|
NW Region |
3.0 |
5.0 |
2.0% |
ID, MT, OR, UT, WY |
|
Southern Region |
4.8 |
7.9 |
3.1% |
AL, MS, NC, VA |
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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.