2015 State of the Beverage Industry: Whiskey, sparkling wines grow double digits
Whiskey sales outpacing vodka segment
Within the wine and spirits categories, dark spirits and sparkling wines are leading growth, according to analysts. The whiskey category, for instance, increased
11.4 percent in dollar sales and 6.9 percent in volume sales in U.S. multi-outlets during the 52 weeks ending May 17, compared with the prior-year period, according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), Chicago.
“Over the past four years or so, whiskey has now replaced vodka as the No. 1 sub-category on dollars,” Danny Brager, senior vice president of alcoholic beverages at New York-based Nielsen, told Beverage Industry in its April issue. “Brown is back; it’s the whiskey renaissance … it’s the major sub-category growth factor.”