New Alcoholic Drinks Research

In 2014, total volume growth remained subdued for a second consecutive year at 0.8 percent reaching 252 billion litres, but our newly released research indicates that the industry will grow to 276 billion litres by 2019.

This year, North America shifted back into focus with total volume growth at 1 percent, up from a meagre 0.3 percent in 2013 and China grew 1.2 percent, which is amongst the lowest growth since the 1990s, while Russia’s on-going macro and geopolitical stress has culminated in a decline of 6% in 2014.

Key findings from the research shows:

• The tradition from white to brown spirits continues as Bourbon, Irish and Japanese whiskeys steal the limelight from scotch with spectacular volume rates of 5, 8 and 7 percent respectively.
• In beer, craft offerings continue to rise across the globe while imported premium lager, ale and non-alcoholic variants were star performers.
• Cider enjoyed solid total volume growth of nearly 9 percent globally as Western European core markets take a back seat to growing North American success.
• Champagne remains challenged in its core Western European market as other sparkling wines capitalise on its demise.

Spiros Malandrakis, Senior Alcoholic Drinks Analyst, says “the seemingly unstoppable emerging market engine is beginning to stall. Geographic diversification—or lack thereof—remains one of the defining factors determining top line success or failure.”