The U.S. liquor industry is pouring out record-breaking numbers, with spirits sales climbing to 250 million cases and generating $29.5 billion in revenue in 2022 alone, signaling a robust and evolving market.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. spirits suppliers sold a total of 250 million 9-liter cases, marking a 5% increase from 2021
- The U.S. distilled spirits market generated $29.5 billion in revenue in 2022, up 8% from the previous year
- Total U.S. liquor sales volume reached 2.84 billion gallons in 2021
- Global spirits market revenue was $520 billion in 2022, with 4% growth
- Diageo held 28% market share in global premium spirits in 2022
- Pernod Ricard captured 15% of the global cognac market share in 2022
- U.S. adults aged 21-34 represent 35% of liquor consumers in 2022 surveys
- Millennials account for 42% of premium spirits purchases in U.S. 2022
- Women comprise 48% of total U.S. spirits consumers in 2022 data
- U.S. South region accounts for 38% of national liquor sales volume 2022
- Midwest U.S. represents 22% of total spirits consumption in 2022
- Northeast U.S. has highest per capita liquor spend at $145 annually 2022
- U.S. spirits market expected to grow 4.2% CAGR to 2027 reaching $35B
- Global RTD cocktails projected to hit $1.2B U.S. sales by 2025
- Tequila category forecasted 12% annual growth in U.S. to 2026
U.S. spirits sales grew strongly across all categories in 2022.
Consumer Demographics
- U.S. adults aged 21-34 represent 35% of liquor consumers in 2022 surveys
- Millennials account for 42% of premium spirits purchases in U.S. 2022
- Women comprise 48% of total U.S. spirits consumers in 2022 data
- 62% of U.S. Gen Z adults have purchased RTD cocktails in past year 2022
- Hispanic consumers represent 22% of U.S. tequila buyers in 2022
- 55% of U.S. spirits consumers are aged 35-54 in 2022 Nielsen data
- Urban dwellers account for 58% of U.S. online liquor orders in 2022
- Baby boomers (55+) make up 28% of scotch whisky drinkers U.S. 2022
- 41% of U.S. African American consumers prefer flavored spirits 2022
- College-educated consumers buy 65% more premium liquor U.S. 2022
- Single adults aged 25-34 consume 2.1x more liquor than married peers 2022
- 37% of U.S. parents with children under 18 avoid liquor purchases 2022
- LGBTQ+ consumers overindex 3x on gin purchases in U.S. 2022
- Rural U.S. consumers prefer value spirits at 52% rate vs urban 2022
- 49% of U.S. female consumers aged 21-34 buy vodka primarily 2022
- High-income households (>100k) buy 40% of super-premium spirits 2022
- 26% of U.S. seniors 65+ consume liquor weekly in 2022 surveys
- Asian American consumers represent 8% but 15% of sake/ soju buyers 2022
- 53% of U.S. craft spirits buyers have college degrees 2022
- Low-income consumers (<50k) account for 22% of total volume 2022
- 60% of frequent liquor buyers are male in U.S. off-premise 2022
- Veterans overindex 1.5x on bourbon consumption U.S. 2022
- 45% of U.S. remote workers increased liquor purchases post-2020 2022
- Empty nesters buy 30% more liqueurs for home use 2022 data
Consumer Demographics Interpretation
The American liquor market reveals a surprisingly democratic spread of vices, where the young dominate ready-to-drink cocktails, the wealthy fuel premium brands, and nearly every demographic finds a spirit to call its own, proving that while we may not be united in much else, we are united in our search for a decent drink.
Geographic Distribution
- U.S. South region accounts for 38% of national liquor sales volume 2022
- Midwest U.S. represents 22% of total spirits consumption in 2022
- Northeast U.S. has highest per capita liquor spend at $145 annually 2022
- West Coast states contribute 28% of U.S. premium spirits sales 2022
- Texas leads U.S. states with 12.5% of national liquor sales in 2022
- Florida accounts for 9.8% of U.S. total spirits volume sales 2022
- California represents 11.2% of U.S. liquor revenue in 2022
- New York state has 7.5% share of national liquor sales 2022
- Illinois contributes 6.3% to U.S. spirits market volume 2022
- Pennsylvania control states hold 5.1% of U.S. sales share 2022
- Global spirits sales leader U.S. at 25% world market share 2022
- China holds 18% of global spirits volume with baijiu dominance 2022
- Europe accounts for 30% of premium spirits global sales 2022
- India spirits market share grew to 8% globally in 2022
- Brazil represents 4.5% of world liquor consumption volume 2022
- Russia holds 5.2% global vodka-centric spirits share 2022
- Mexico contributes 3.8% mainly via tequila exports 2022
- UK accounts for 4.1% of global gin and whisky sales 2022
- Japan 2.7% share driven by shochu and whisky 2022
- Australia 2.3% of premium RTD and spirits market 2022
- Canada 3.1% global share with whisky exports strong 2022
Geographic Distribution Interpretation
While the South is the undeniable volume heavyweight and the Northeast sets the bar for spending, America's role as the world's spirits quarterback is fueled by a deep bench of regional stars, from Texas's power to California's premium pull.
Market Share and Brands
- Global spirits market revenue was $520 billion in 2022, with 4% growth
- Diageo held 28% market share in global premium spirits in 2022
- Pernod Ricard captured 15% of the global cognac market share in 2022
- Bacardi owned 22% of the global rum market share in 2022
- Brown-Forman had 18% share of U.S. Tennessee whiskey market in 2022
- Constellation Brands held 12% of U.S. tequila market share in 2022
- Tito's Vodka achieved 14% U.S. vodka market share in 2022
- Smirnoff vodka commanded 21% of U.S. vodka segment share in 2022
- Crown Royal held 10% of U.S. Canadian whisky market share in 2022
- Jack Daniel's owned 65% of U.S. charcoal mellowed whiskey share in 2022
- Jose Cuervo tequila had 32% U.S. market share in imported tequila 2022
- Malibu rum captured 15% global flavored rum market share in 2022
- Bombay Sapphire gin held 8% U.S. gin market share in 2022
- Hennessy cognac dominated 45% of U.S. cognac market share 2022
- Baileys liqueur owned 52% U.S. cream liqueur market share in 2022
- High Noon RTD held 25% U.S. canned cocktail market share in 2022
- E&J brandy captured 40% U.S. brandy market share in 2022
- Absolut vodka had 9% U.S. super-premium vodka share in 2022
- Fireball cinnamon whisky owned 70% flavored whisky share U.S. 2022
- Grey Goose vodka premium segment share was 12% in U.S. 2022
- Patron tequila held 18% super-premium tequila share U.S. 2022
- Tanqueray gin owned 11% premium gin market share U.S. 2022
- Kahlua liqueur captured 35% coffee liqueur share U.S. 2022
- Svedka vodka budget segment share was 15% U.S. 2022
Market Share and Brands Interpretation
The global spirits market is a half-trillion-dollar party where a few savvy giants have expertly cornered the bar, proving that in the business of intoxication, brand loyalty is the most potent spirit of all.
Revenue and Sales Volume
- In 2022, U.S. spirits suppliers sold a total of 250 million 9-liter cases, marking a 5% increase from 2021
- The U.S. distilled spirits market generated $29.5 billion in revenue in 2022, up 8% from the previous year
- Total U.S. liquor sales volume reached 2.84 billion gallons in 2021
- Supermarket liquor sales in the U.S. hit $7.2 billion in 2022, a 12% YoY growth
- Off-premise spirits sales in the U.S. accounted for $24.1 billion in 2022
- U.S. whiskey category sales revenue grew 9% to $5.6 billion in 2022
- Vodka sales in the U.S. generated $6.8 billion in revenue for 2022
- Total U.S. distilled spirits revenue from taxes was $10.2 billion in 2022
- Canadian whiskey exports to the U.S. added $450 million in sales value in 2021
- U.S. tequila revenue surged 14% to $3.2 billion in 2022
- Rum sales revenue in the U.S. reached $2.1 billion in 2022, up 6%
- Gin category revenue in the U.S. grew to $1.4 billion in 2022
- Brandy and cognac sales revenue totaled $1.8 billion in the U.S. for 2022
- Cordial and liqueur revenue in U.S. was $2.9 billion in 2022
- Ready-to-drink (RTD) spirits revenue hit $1.6 billion in U.S. 2022 sales
- Premium spirits segment revenue grew 11% to $15.4 billion in U.S. 2022
- Super-premium vodka sales revenue was $2.3 billion in U.S. 2022
- Scotch whisky imports revenue to U.S. reached $1.2 billion in 2022
- U.S. control state liquor sales revenue totaled $18.7 billion in 2022
- Online liquor sales revenue in U.S. grew 25% to $2.4 billion in 2022
- Bar and restaurant spirits sales revenue recovered to $8.9 billion in U.S. 2022
- U.S. craft spirits revenue reached $1.1 billion in 2022 sales
- Florida state liquor sales revenue was $4.2 billion in FY2022
- Texas liquor sales revenue hit $3.8 billion in 2022
- California off-premise liquor revenue totaled $6.5 billion in 2022
- New York liquor store sales revenue was $2.9 billion in 2022
- Illinois spirits revenue from sales tax was $1.7 billion in 2022
- Pennsylvania control state liquor revenue reached $3.4 billion in 2022
- U.S. total liquor retail sales revenue grew 7.3% to $28.6 billion in 2022
Revenue and Sales Volume Interpretation
America has soberly decided that pouring a stiff drink is the only reliable growth strategy left, as evidenced by a 5% surge in spirit cases, an 8% revenue jump, and an impressively unified national effort to elevate everything from supermarket vodka to online tequila into multi-billion-dollar industries.
Trends and Forecasts
- U.S. spirits market expected to grow 4.2% CAGR to 2027 reaching $35B
- Global RTD cocktails projected to hit $1.2B U.S. sales by 2025
- Tequila category forecasted 12% annual growth in U.S. to 2026
- Premiumization trend to drive 60% of spirits growth globally 2023-2027
- Non-alcoholic spirits alternatives to grow 28% CAGR to 2027
- U.S. online liquor sales forecast to double to $5B by 2025
- Whiskey expected to gain 2.5% global market share by 2027
- Gin decline projected at -1.2% CAGR in mature markets 2023-2027
- Flavored spirits to surge 15% in emerging markets by 2026
- U.S. craft distilleries to increase 20% by 2025 to 2,500+
- Sustainable packaging to cover 40% of spirits by 2027 globally
- Health-conscious low/no ABV spirits to triple sales by 2026 U.S.
- Asia-Pacific spirits market CAGR 6.8% to $250B by 2027
- Direct-to-consumer DTC liquor sales to reach 10% share U.S. 2027
- Bourbon production capacity to expand 25% in U.S. by 2026
- Global scotch exports forecast +3% annually to 2027
- Rum category revival projected 5% growth U.S. 2023-2027
- Liqueur and bitters to grow 7% CAGR driven by cocktails 2027
- U.S. on-premise recovery to 95% pre-COVID levels by 2024 forecast
- Mezcal to overtake 10% of U.S. agave spirits market by 2026
Trends and Forecasts Interpretation
The spirits market has entered a state of fervent, fragmented evolution, where tequila’s rocket-fueled ascent, a non-alcoholic rebellion, and the stubborn decline of gin prove that while everyone wants a drink, no two palates—or principles—are seeking the same escape.
Sources & References
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