BY KYLE SWARTZ
odka consumption may be relatively flat , as tequila and American whiskey still some of its thunder , but it ’ s still a massive , robust alcohol category .
The U . S . saw 80.56 million 9-liter cases sold last year , according to our data team at the Beverage Information and Insights Group . Perhaps no other alcohol brand defines our modern era more than Tito ’ s Handmade Vodka . Independently owned , American-branded , an entrepreneurial success story from the hyper-trendy city of Austin , TX , Tito ’ s was up 5.4 % at a time when many competitors saw numbers in the opposite direction , reaching an astounding 11.6 million cases .
Other growing vodka brands include three from Sazerac Co .: Platinum 7X , up 2.8 % to 1.99 million cases ; Barton ’ s Vodka , with a 1.4 % increase to 1.93 million cases ; and Skol , up 5.8 % to nearly 1.7 million case . Texas brand Deep Eddy , a flavor-focused , all-natural vodka that was bought by Heaven Hill in 2015 , also posted growth of 5.8 %, reaching 1.95 million in 2022 .
So what does it take for a vodka brand , established or smaller , to succeed in this modern market ?
READY TO DRINK The rapid rise of ready-to-drink ( RTD ) and ready-to-serve ( RTS ) beverages in the past few years has benefitted vodka .
“ The market remains vibrant , propelled by both vodka-based RTD and RTS , which are recruiting new drinkers into the category ,” says Aleco Azqueta , Grey Goose , vice president of marketing , North America . Accordingly , the brand recently launched Grey Goose RTS Classic Martini Cocktail in a bottle . .
“ As RTDs come into wider use , and people drink more spirits and less beer , vodka ’ s premiumization stretches beyond the bottle and into the can ,” says Shaun Meglan , Texas mixologist and director of product education at Southern Glazer ’ s Wine & Spirits . “ People spend twice as much on a nice vodka in a canned cocktail than they do for a single beer .”
It helps that vodka is a clean and easy spirit to work with in cocktails , lending itself to the kind of canned drinks consumers prefer today .
“ The increasing health consciousness of consumers drives the rise of low-ABV sprits and the desire for convenience is driving the growth of RTDs ,” says Damola Timeyin of the South African brand Vusa Vodka . “ Both continue to have a positive impact on the vodka category , as we see the emergence of hard seltzers and RTD formats . Fortunately , vodka is a spirit that benefits from its versatility , allowing vodka brands to take advantage of these consumer trends .”
White Claw , which helped create the current hard seltzer and RTD trends , recently entered the vodka category with White Claw Premium Vodka and White Claw Vodka + Soda .
“ The RTD space has grown to the largest category within the beer aisles in America , with about 27 % of the market ,” says Andrés Faustinelli , master blender , White Claw Vodka . “ It ’ s greater than light beer . It represents a fundamental consumer shift over the last 25 years .”
MAKING MARTINIS The Covid-19 lockdowns spurred a large movement in at-home mixology . While on-premise reopening has certainly driven consumers back into bars and restaurants , people remain interested in mixing high-quality drinks at home .
“ We ’ ve really seen a resurgence in the classic cocktails of the 1990s ,” says Sophie Clerc , brand director , vodka , for Moet Hennessy USA , which owns
www . cheersonline . com Fall 2023 • 27