Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Mixer sales declined 3% from 2009-14; cordials, liqueurs, vermouth, and aperitifs grew 14%
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 2: Total US volume sales and fan chart forecast of cordials/liqueurs and vermouth/aperitifs, at current prices, 2009-19
- Cocktail culture highlighted in pop culture/on-premise
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- Figure 3: Consumption location, by type, February 2015
- Interest in health drives call for natural, less sugar
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- Figure 4: Opinions toward cocktails and mixed drinks – scratch versus mixer, February 2015
- The opportunities
- Customization is a major consumer draw
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- Figure 5: Reasons for drinking at home – Any rank top five, February 2015
- Products that offer a health advantage may appeal to consumers as a lower-guilt option
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- Figure 6: Mixer innovation of interest, February 2015
- Social media is well-suited for product promotion in the category
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- Figure 7: Where consumers learn to make cocktails and mixed drinks, February 2015
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Mixer sales declined 3% from 2009-14; cordials, liqueurs, vermouth, and aperitifs grew 14%
- Cocktails do better on-premise than off
- Frozen and powdered mixers lose out to liquids
- Cordials/liqueurs outperform vermouth/aperitifs
Cordials, Liqueurs, Vermouth, and Aperitifs Stir Things Up as Mixers Cool
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- Mixer sales declined 3% from 2009-14; continued struggles are forecast
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, at current prices, 2009-19
- Cordials, liqueurs, vermouth, and aperitifs volume grows 14%
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- Figure 10: Total US volume sales and fan chart forecast of cordials/liqueurs and vermouth/aperitifs, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 11: Total US volume sales and forecast of cordials/liqueurs and vermouth/aperitifs, 2009-19
Market Breakdown
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- Frozen and powdered mixes continue to lose out to liquids
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- Figure 12: Total US retail sales and forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, by form, at current prices, 2009-14
- Cordials/liqueurs outperform vermouth/aperitifs
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- Figure 13: Total US volume sales of cordials/liqueurs and vermouth/aperitifs (9-liter cases), 2009-14
- Figure 14: Sales of cordials/liqueurs, by type (9-liter cases), 2012-13
Market Perspective
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- Cocktails experience lowest consumption; do better on-premise than off
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- Figure 15: Consumption location, by type (overall), February 2015
- Growth in RTDs challenge mixers
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- Figure 16: Products used to make cocktails and mixed drinks, by gender and age, February 2015
Market Factors
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- Alcohol sales continue to rise; patterns favor on-premise consumption
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- Figure 17: Alcoholic beverages, total expenditures, 2000-13
- Cocktail culture highlighted in pop culture/on-premise
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- Figure 18: Consumption location, by type, February 2015
- On-premise trends can inform category innovation
- Interest in health drives call for natural, less sugar
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Sales performance points to the importance of convenience, spice, and versatility
- Heat and heritage represent bright spots for the category
- Sweet and colorful offerings struggle
- A focus on health can give products a boost
Manufacturer Sales of Alcoholic Beverage Mixers
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- DPSG represents a quarter of mixer sales
- Manufacturer sales of alcoholic beverage mixers
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- Figure 19: MULO sales of alcoholic beverage mixers, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2014 and 2015
Manufacturer Sales of Liqueurs, Cordials, Vermouth, and Aperitifs
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- Fireball shoots Sazerac into top spot
- Manufacturer sales of cordials/liqueurs and vermouth/aperitifs
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- Figure 20: Cordial/liqueur and vermouth/aperitif sales, leading companies and brands by volume, 2012-13
What’s Working?
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- Heat and heritage represent bright spots for the category
- Turning up the heat
- A bit of nostalgia benefits heritage brands and authentic products
What’s Struggling?
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- Private label may suffer from lack of authenticity
- Tastes appear to shift away from sweet
What’s Next?
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- Flavor innovation will move mixers beyond the norm
- Savory
- Aromatic
- International flavors
- A focus on health can give products a boost
- Natural
- Reduced sugar
- Versatility can expand consumption occasion
- Craft finds a place in mixers
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Under 45s are core audience
- Customization is a major consumer draw
- Social media is well-suited for product promotion in the category
- All-natural ingredients will be a strong means of attracting attention
Consumption Location
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- Under 45s appear as core drinkers
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- Figure 21: Consumption location (cocktails), by age, February 2015
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- Figure 22: Consumption location of cordials, liqueurs, vermouth, and/or aperitifs, by age, February 2015
- $75K-$149.9K are a target; on-premise not cost-prohibitive for cocktails
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- Figure 23: Consumption location (cocktails), by HH income, February 2015
- Figure 24: Consumption location cordials, liqueurs, vermouth, and/or aperitifs), by HH income, February 2015
- Hispanics are a strong target for on-premise consumption
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- Figure 25: Consumption location, by Hispanic origin, February 2015
Products Used to Make Cocktails and Mixed Drinks
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- Mixers may fall short on price appeal
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- Figure 26: Products used to make cocktails and mixed drinks, by gender and age, February 2015
- Taboo beverages thrive in cocktails; cocktail-centric ingredients need a boost
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- Figure 27: Products used to make cocktails and mixed drinks, February 2015
Reasons for Drinking at Home
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- 87% of respondents drink at home to exercise some sort of control
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- Figure 28: Reasons for drinking at home – Themes for any rank top five, February 2015
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- Figure 29: Reasons for drinking at home – Any rank top five, February 2015
Where Consumers Learn to Make Cocktails and Mixed Drinks
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- Recipes inspire cocktail creation; word of mouth is also key
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- Figure 30: Where consumers learn to make cocktails and mixed drinks, by gender and age, February 2015
- Cocktail tech
Opinions toward Cocktails and Mixed Drinks
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- Mixer strengths include ease/speed; challenges include taste, inflexibility, health
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- Figure 31: Opinions toward cocktails and mixed drinks – scratch versus mixer, February 2015
Mixer Innovation of Interest
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- A third of drinkers are interested in all-natural mixers
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- Figure 32: Mixer innovation of interest, February 2015
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 33: Alcoholic beverages, total expenditures, 2000-13
- Alcoholic beverage mixers
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- Figure 34: Total US retail sales and forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
- Figure 35: Total US retail sales and forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, by form, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 36: Total US retail sales and forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, by channel, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
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- Figure 37: Total US retail sales and forecast of alcoholic beverage mixers, by channel, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 38: US supermarket sales of alcoholic beverage mixers, at current prices, 2009-14
- Figure 39: US sales of alcoholic beverage mixers through other retail channels, at current prices, 2009-14
- Cordials, liqueurs, vermouth, aperitifs
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- Figure 40: Total US volume sales of cordials/liqueurs, 2009-14
- Figure 41: Total US volume sales of vermouth/aperitifs, 2009-14
- Figure 42: Sales of cordials/liqueurs, by type, 2012-13
- Figure 43: Market share of vermouth/aperitifs, by supplier class, 2013
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- Figure 44: Total US volume sales of vermouth/aperitifs and cordials/liqueurs, by type and origin, 2013
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Appendix – Consumer
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- Figure 45: Cordials & liqueurs, by demographics, November 2013-December 2014
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- Figure 46: Cordials & liqueurs, by demographics (1 of 3), November 2013-December 2014
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- Figure 47: Cordials & liqueurs, by demographics (2 of 3), November 2013-December 2014
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- Figure 48: Cordials & liqueurs, by demographics (3 of 3), November 2013-December 2014
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