NABCA Releases Control States Nine-Liter Spirits Sales for April

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - May 25, 2016 - PRLog -- During April, nine-liter spirits case sales in the control states fell 0.9%. Rolling-twelve-month volume growth of 2.8% is down slightly from March's 3.1%. Idaho, Montgomery County Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia reported monthly volumetric growth rates in excess of their 12-month trends.

Control state spirits shelf dollars were up 1.3% during April while trending at 5.3% during the past twelve months. Idaho, Montgomery County Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia reported monthly growth rates that exceeded their 12-month trends.

Price/Mix for April is 2.2%, off slightly when compared to March's 2.5%.

April's Control State spirits growth rate was affected by the Control States' reporting calendars:

    - Utah, with more than 2% of Control States' spirits nine-liter case volumes and dollars,

      reported four weeks of sales this year versus five weeks of sales during April, 2015,

      artificially deflating sales and skewing Control States results. Utah had six fewer

      selling days during this year's April than during last year's.

    - Michigan, with more than 15% of Control States' spirits nine-liter case volumes and dollars,

      reported four weeks of sales this year versus five weeks of sales during April, 2015,

      artificially deflating sales and skewing Control States results. Michigan had seven fewer

      selling days during this year's April than during last year's.

- Overall, April, 2016, had ten fewer selling days, 1.9% fewer, than last year's April.

-   After equivalizing nine-liter spirits case sales with respect to selling-day variations,

April's volumetric growth is 2.5%, and rolling-twelve-month volume is up 2.6%. Likewise,

after equivalizing shelf dollars, April's control states shelf dollar growth rate is 4.9%

with a twelve-month trend of 5.1%.

-   April's equivalized Price/Mix is 2.4%.

Irish Whiskey, with 1% share of the control states spirits market, was April's fastest growing category with 15.1% reported and a twelve month trend of 15.8%. Vodka, with 35% share, grew during the same periods at -1.7% and 2.3%. Brandy/Cognac (8.9%), Canadian Whiskey (-2.8%), Cocktails (5.9%), Cordials (-5.6%), Domestic Whiskey (0.8%), Gin (-2.2%), Irish Whiskey (15.1%), Rum (-4.9%), Scotch (-3.7%), Tequila (7.1%), and Vodka (-1.7%) grew at monthly rates lagging their twelve-month trends.

April's nine-liter wine case sales growth rate fell 4.0%. Pennsylvania (reporting -3.1% nine-liter case growth for wines), New Hampshire (-0.9%), Utah (-17.0%), Mississippi (-2.4%), Montgomery County Maryland (-6.2%), and Wyoming (-3.2%) are the control states that are the sole wholesalers of wines and spirits within their geographical boundaries. Rolling-twelvemonth wine volume growth in these six control states was 1.3%, down from March's reported 1.6%.