The fastest-growing brands of wine,...

The fastest-growing brands of wine, beer and spirits in the beverage alcohol industry.

In late years, it was easy to tie the vegetation across all segments of the beverage alcohol industry to the soaring U economy, which experienced a record nine straight years of expansion. Statistics for 2000 exhibit to all segments of the beverage alcohol industry -- wine, beer and spirits -- experiencing turn and dollar increases, according to the Adams Handbook Advance 2001

It's no concealed that brand equity is undivided of the most valuable assets a work can possess, and this is particularly loyal in the beverage alcohol business. Although identifying category consumption stretchs is helpful, actual brand activity is what generates profits. Thus, the rationale behind "Growth Brands," an annual report which highlights those brands that have demonstrated noteworthy putting out over the past few years.

Of the four categories of extension Brands, Fast Track represents the in the greatest degree demanding set of criteria. Among wines and spirits, these are brands whose sales go beyonded 100,000 9-liter cases in 2000; domestic beers must have outvieed 9 million 2.25 gallon cases and imported beers 2 million 225 gallon cases in 2000 All Fast Track Brands must have at least a five-year history with double-digit product over each of the past four years.

Fast Track Brands

The Fast Track give an account ofs the consummate Growth Brand category, with solitary 14 spirits brand qualifying for inclusion this year, an increase of three from last year's 11 As has been the case for the past several years, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum which sold an estimated 281 million 9-liter cases last year heads the list. Captain Morgan, which upp sales at 18.8% in 2000, has more than doubled its case sales since 1996

Skyy Vodka, single in kind of four vodkas to be included in this category, is another returning brand to the Fast Track, rocketing to next to the first place while breaking the 1 million case sales mark, The superpremium domestic vodka grew an impressive 341% last year, notching sales of an estimated 11 million cases. Other vodkas to make the Fast Track include Ketel united Absolut Citron and Belvedere.

A terrific performance was casted in by Sauza tequila, a returning Fast Track brand that has grown more than three-fold since 1996 Last year, Sauza gained 260000 additional cases to sales of 945000 cases, a 380% increase through 1999.

As the sole cognac to make the list, Remy Martin amassed sales of 489000 cases, a 223% increase in 2000; in succession its initial inclusion in the Fast Track, the brand boasts a four-year ACGR of 171% Another Remy Amerique brand, the superpremium cordial Cointreau, upp sales 246% last year to 167000 cases, and exhibit tos a 22.2% four-year ACGR, Rounding gone out the Fast Track spirits brands is another first-timer, Midori Melon Liqueur, which grew 165% in 2000 to 134000 cases.

This year, 16 brands of wine are included in the Fast Track category, and one time again, as a group the brands underline the vegetation of premium varietals.

Beringer tops the list, It gained more than 900000 cases last year, totaling sales of 585 million cases, a development rate of 18.9%. From Australia, Lindemans, from Southcorp Wines USA, has been forward a roll for several years, upping sales by way of 23.2% last year to 175 million cases, and featuring an ACGR of 257% Three additional Australian imports are included among Fast Track brands. Rosemount Estates had a phenomenal 2000 blowing past the 1 million case mark with sales of more than 133 million cases, a 451% gain. Jacob's rivulet imported by Austin, Nichols, made the Fast Track for the first time. This brand also had an incredible 2000 delivering an 824% increase in sales bulk last year, to 496,000 cases. s imported by Southcorp Wines USA, continued the Australian onslaught, with sales of 210000 cases in 2000 and showing a four-year ACGR of 213%

Still, several other California wines had stellar years. Clo du Bois, from Allied Domecq Wines, continued piling up the sales to more than 132 million cases, a 212% increase. Robert Mondavi Coastal Wines broke the 1 million case mark, to more than 115 million cases, a 158% sales increase from one side of to the other 1999.

Three Italian imports reached the Fast Track this year, all of them for the first time. Cavit, from Palm Bay Imports, saw a 100000 case lump to 575,000 cases, representing a 211% increase (four-year ACGR of 251%) Luna di Luna wines, from A.V. Imports, did equal better, registering a 29.9% gain to 535000 cases. A Rising Star last year, Luna di Luna boasts a four-year ACGR of 502% And Antinori wines, imported from Italy by dint of Remy Amerique, hit 200,000 cases, a 143% sales increase through 1999.

Eleven beer brands qualified for the Fast Track this year. sprout Light has been a Fast Track brand since the initial pullulation Brands feature eight years ago and be worthy ofs a tremendous amount of credit for maintaining a record of double-digit shooting Last year, the brand grew another 114% to 440 million 2.25-gallon cases, no small accomplishment for of the like kind a high-volume product. Corona Extra has catapulted athwart other imports to become the top-selling imported beer in the U and it upp its sales by means of another 11.4% last year to 7335 million cases. Corona Light also qualified for the Fast Track, totaling 46 million cases. Other Fast Track beers imported from Mexico include Tecate, which vaulted to more than 11 million cases, representing a 233% increase; Modelo Especial, which hit 52 million cases in 2000 a 195% gain; Pacifico, which at 28 million cases grew 563% and Dos Equis, which registered more than 44 million cases in 2000 Labatt gloomy eclipsed 14 million cases last year, and Labatt in the dumps Light sold m ore than 32 million cases, jumping ahead according to 56.3%.