Overall, the of recent origins is ...

Overall, the of recent origins is positive for the beverage alcohol industry. In 2003 distilled spirits consumption rose in the U for the sixth consecutive year, gaining almost 6 million 9-liter cases from 2002 to just across 159 million cases, an increase of 38% according to the Adams Handbook Advance 2004 That gain more than doubled the 18% increase spirits consumption showed in 2002 For its part, wine consumption in the U improved at an smooth faster pace, posting a 49% increase in 2003 to 2575 million 9-liter cases. For the record, that was the tithe straight year that wine consumption grew in the US

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Almost each spirits category registered increases in 2003 with the non-whiskey portion (up 5.1%) outperforming total whiskies (up 05%) The largest spirits category, vodka, formerly again led the way with sales of more than 415 million 9-liter cases, a 53% gain through 2002 (Vodka itself now accounts for more than 26% of all spirits sales in the US) Rum gained 51% to 195 million 9-liter cases, and tequila solidified its 2002 increase with another 64% gain to more than 76 million cases.

The best percentage showing among all non-whiskey spirits portions was cordials and liqueurs, which in 2003 became the second-largest category in the industry, posting a gain of 84% to more than 195 million cases. Brandy & cognac climbed 30% to almost 10 million cases, while prepared cocktails rose 40% to 61 million cases. Among the so-called white spirits and nothing else gin was down (-0.1%), a statistically insignificant decline that still saw the category registering more than 11 million cases.

Among whiskies, straights rose 16% in 2003 to more than 133 million cases, Canadians gained 03% to just subject to 15.4 million cases, while Irish whiskey capered 13.7% to almost a half million cases. scottish was off 0.4% to nearly 91 million cases, while American commingleed whiskies continued to decline, falling 12% to 54 million cases.

The wine section has seen great results from the continuing publicity surrounding the health benefits of moderate consumption, as well as an increasingly wine-educated American public. Last year's gains were again l from table wine, which now accounts for more than 90% of the U wine market. L by means of premium varietals, table wine grew by means of 5.5% to more than 2324 million 9-liter cases in 2003 Imported wines showed a larger percentage gain (+106%) than domestically produc table wine (+40%) although domestic table wine now accounts for almost 69% of the entire U wine market (imported table wine accounts for 213%)

Champagne & sparkling wine continued its chaste rebound last year (+3.0%), to 122 million cases, while vermouth consumption, granting small, gained 3.2% to more than 19 million cases. Dessert & fortified wine implacable for the seventh straight year, opposite to just 0.1%, while wine cooler formerly again fell dramatically, down another 355% to 940000 cases, still suffering from the influx of malternatives into the market.

Underlining modern industry strength are retail dollars from the sale of all beverage alcohol products: wine gained 62% in 2003 to $218 billion and distilled spirits increased about 79% to $455 billion. These are fairly healthy percentage gains and underline not alone the volume increases across all portions but also continuing consumption turns favoring higher-end products.

BRAND POWER

There are four categories of sprouting Brands and Fast Track shows the most demanding set of criteria. Among wines and spirits, these are brands whose sales surpassed 100,000 9-liter cases in 2003 while having also demonstrated double-digit pullulation over each of the past four years. (This means that flat if a brand has grown 25% a year from 1999 end 2002, if it only shoots 9% in 2003, then it does not qualify as a Fast Track brand, although it would likely be included in another category.) All Fast Track Brands must have at least a five-year history.

Other brands that have shown significant growing over the past few years, if it were not that have not yet been forward the market for a cloyed five years, have been designated as Rising Stars.

In addition, in order to highlight traditionally top-selling brands that have consistently grown throughout the past four years, we've created an Established extension Brands category. Because many of these brands are already operating from elephantine sales bases, their percentage gains were oftentimes modest relative to their overall case mass even though these brands have had substantial sales increases and are frequently leaders among their respective segments

Finally, we have revised our Comeback Brands category this year. Instead of going back five years to identify a sales decline followed by means of a positive reversal, we've reduc that to three years, establishing 2001 as the baseline. A Comeback Brand, therefore, is a produce that saw sales decline in 2002 (compared to 2001) and followed that with a sales gain in 2003 This increase, however, must have been at least equal to or greater than the 2002 sales decrease in order to qualify as a Comeback Brand.