TEQUILA: THE NEXT BIG THING
I usually get a couple of emails a week from subscribers concerned about cocktails. Questions like, “what’s the next big ingredient” and “what cocktails are the most popular” generally flood my inbox on any given day, so I decided to do a little research and inject my findings into today’s newsletter. It’s not so much about quantitative research, but more about what people are seeing in the marketplace.
So let’s start with the spirits side. Vodka is arguably the most popular spirit out of today’s mixed drinks and holds the highest amount of dollar share in the spirits category (26.8% in 2006 according to ACNielsen). In the 52 weeks to January 13, 2007, vodka sales grew an impressive 5.2% from the previous year, but alas, was not the fastest growing spirits category. No, that title is reserved for the fast-charging tequila sector, up 10% over the same period and slightly behind Irish whiskey which grew 10.5%. But enough numbers. What does this mean? Out of the multiple articles and sources I thumbed through, it seems that tequila is quickly becoming the new vodka. Many bartenders and retailers note that consumers are shifting from vodka to tequila, particularly Patron and Sauza Blanco, in search of the “next big thing.” However, most people in the spirits industry seem to agree that Grey Goose is in a prime position as it fills the super-premium itch
Even more interestingly, many in the on and off-premise sector feel that the wide range of flavored vodkas have their days numbered. The general feeling is that consumers already have their vodka brand of choice (which increasingly has become Grey Goose as a part of the trading up trend) and are sticking to it. Out of the countless flavored vodka brands hitting shelves, insiders expect that only a few will last long term especially as tequila grows more popular. Jack Daniels and coke and Jack and diet also seems to be a rising trend among consumers.
When it comes to ingredients, I saw things like lychee, rose juice, gooseberries, nut flavors, pomegranate, guava, green tea, pear, cucumber, basil and basically anything out of the norm. It appears that consumers are becoming a bit more particular about their cocktail and choose not to settle for the same-old ingredients, like strawberries or raspberries. Also, cocktail with bright colors and/or an attractive presentation is big, especially among the ladies.
So let’s start with the spirits side. Vodka is arguably the most popular spirit out of today’s mixed drinks and holds the highest amount of dollar share in the spirits category (26.8% in 2006 according to ACNielsen). In the 52 weeks to January 13, 2007, vodka sales grew an impressive 5.2% from the previous year, but alas, was not the fastest growing spirits category. No, that title is reserved for the fast-charging tequila sector, up 10% over the same period and slightly behind Irish whiskey which grew 10.5%. But enough numbers. What does this mean? Out of the multiple articles and sources I thumbed through, it seems that tequila is quickly becoming the new vodka. Many bartenders and retailers note that consumers are shifting from vodka to tequila, particularly Patron and Sauza Blanco, in search of the “next big thing.” However, most people in the spirits industry seem to agree that Grey Goose is in a prime position as it fills the super-premium itch
Even more interestingly, many in the on and off-premise sector feel that the wide range of flavored vodkas have their days numbered. The general feeling is that consumers already have their vodka brand of choice (which increasingly has become Grey Goose as a part of the trading up trend) and are sticking to it. Out of the countless flavored vodka brands hitting shelves, insiders expect that only a few will last long term especially as tequila grows more popular. Jack Daniels and coke and Jack and diet also seems to be a rising trend among consumers.
When it comes to ingredients, I saw things like lychee, rose juice, gooseberries, nut flavors, pomegranate, guava, green tea, pear, cucumber, basil and basically anything out of the norm. It appears that consumers are becoming a bit more particular about their cocktail and choose not to settle for the same-old ingredients, like strawberries or raspberries. Also, cocktail with bright colors and/or an attractive presentation is big, especially among the ladies.
posted at 12:23 PM
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