- A good month in the Control States markets for spirits: values rise almost 8% year-on-year
Once a month, the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association releases data covering sales of spirits in the Control States of the US.
Here’s a look at the numbers for January.
While the number of selling days in January was down by two on the same month in 2022 [one each in North Carolina and Utah], spirits sales in both volume and value terms increased: volumes were up 3.7%, while the lift for value was +7.8%.
The standout category once again was spirits-based RTDs, which was up by over a third on both bases. Tequila also shows no sign of decelerating growth, with full-year 2022's +9% value and +13.7% volume rates in January's shadow.
Gin, meanwhile, started the year well after a moribund 2022. The +3.3% monthly volume performance was eclipsed by value's +10%.
The Cognac category's travails in the country look set to continue if January is anything to go by, while Scotch brand owners will be concerned by the near-10% volume and 5% value declines in the month.
The NABCA data measures spirits sales across 17 US states [and Montgomery County in Maryland] where distribution is state-controlled. This represents around 25% of total sales in the country and covers both the on- and off-premise channels,
The Control states are:
- Alabama
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Maine
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
There are also control municipalities in Alaska, Minnesota and South Dakota.
