Today's vibrant cocktail culture seems to be sparking growth in the spirits market. According to the Technomic 2012 SpiritsTAB report, spirits now account for 6.4% of total alcohol, or adult beverage, up from 6.1% the year before.
- The spirits market in the U.S. grew 3.4% in 2011 and achieved a slight increase in share of total alcohol
- Spirits continue to grab market share from beer, representing a total of five points of share since 2000, reports the Distilled Spirits Council
- Vodka remains the largest category, with 32% share of spirits volume. Tequila, rye and corn whiskey are also "hot" segments
- Slightly more than half of spirits retail dollars are spent in on-premise venues, including bars and restaurants
"While trends vary within each spirit category, much of the growth occurred at the higher end of the pricing spectrum," says Donna Hood Crecca, senior director of the Adult Beverage Resource Group at Technomic. "We also saw increases among unique and boutique spirits."
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