ALEXANDRIA, VA (April 18, 2016) — During March, nine-liter spirits case sales in the control states grew 8.4%. Rolling-twelve-month volume growth of 3.1% compares favorably with February’s 2.7%. Alabama, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming reported monthly volumetric growth rates in excess of their 12-month trends.
Control state spirits shelf dollars were up 10.9% during March while trending at 5.7% during the past twelve months. Alabama, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming reported monthly growth rates that exceeded their 12-month trends.
Price/Mix for March is 2.5%, up from February’s 2.2%.
- March’s Control State spirits growth rate was affected by the Control States’ reporting calendars:
- Utah, with more than 2% of Control States’ spirits nine-liter case volumes and dollars, reported five weeks of sales this year versus four weeks of sales during March, 2015, artificially inflating sales and skewing Control States results. Utah had six more selling days during this year’s March than during last year’s.
- Michigan, with more than 15% of Control States’ spirits nine-liter case volumes and dollars, reported five weeks of sales this year versus four weeks of sales during March, 2015, artificially inflating sales and skewing Control States results. Michigan had seven more selling days during this year’s March than during last year’s.
- March, 2016, had four Sundays compared with five during March, 2015. Stores in six control states—Alabama, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia—are not open on Sundays.
- Overall, March, 2016, had fifteen more selling days, 2.8% more, than last year’s March.
- After equivalizing nine-liter spirits case sales with respect to selling-day variations, March’s volumetric growth is 3.9%, and rolling-twelve-month volume is up 2.7%. Likewise, after equivalizing shelf dollars, March’s control states shelf dollar growth rate is 6.0% with a twelvemonth trend of 5.2%.
- March’s equivalized Price/Mix is 2.1%.
Tequila, with 5% share of the control states spirits market, was March’s fastest growing category with 16.2% reported and a twelve month trend of 8.4%. Vodka, with 35% share, grew during the same periods at 9.0% and 2.6%. Brandy/Cognac (15.1%), Canadian Whiskey (7.7%), Cocktails (13.0%), Cordials (3.6%), Domestic Whiskey (7.3%), Gin (7.5%), Irish Whiskey (15.8%), Rum (4.8%), Scotch (5.1%), Tequila (16.2%), and Vodka (9.0%) grew at monthly rates exceeding their twelve-month trends.
March’s nine-liter wine case sales growth rate was 6.6%. Pennsylvania (reporting 5.4% nine-liter case growth for wines), New Hampshire (1.6%), Utah (27.7%), Mississippi (7.0%), Montgomery County Maryland (2.5%), and Wyoming (2.3%) 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 1.6%, a slight improvement over February’s reported 1.4%.
| 9L Cases CM % Chg | Shelf $ CM % Chg | Price/Mix | Control States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Control States | 8.4 | 10.9 | 2.5% | |
| Central Region | 10.3 | 13.0 | 2.7% | IA, MD, MI, OH, PA, WV |
| NE Region | 0.3 | 3.3 | 3.0% | ME, NH, VT |
| NW Region | 10.9 | 12.4 | 1.5% | ID, MT, OR, UT, WY |
| Southern Region | 6.2 | 8.6 | 2.4% | AL, MS, NC, VA |
For more information about the NABCA, visit www.nabca.org.
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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 Alexandria, 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.