2017 State of the Beverage Industry: Steady growth in wine, spirits
Dark spirits, sparkling wines lead category
Within the wine and spirits markets, dark spirits, sparkling wines and red blends are leading growth, according to analysts. The whiskey segment saw volume increase 6.8 percent to 21.8 million cases and revenues grow 7.7 percent to $3.1 billion in 2016, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Distilled Spirits Council.
The spirits industry experienced accelerated growth for the seventh straight year, with supplier sales up 4.5 percent, volume up 2.4 percent and retail sales of nearly $78 billion in 2016. Much of the growth has been fueled by high-end and super-premium Irish whiskeys, which grew 736 and 3,456 percent, respectively, since 2002, according to the association.