US spirits market faces decline as sales volumes, values decline across key categories in September 

USA – The US spirits market continued to face challenges in September, with both sales volumes and values declining in nearly all categories, according to recent data from the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA).  

Total sales volume dropped by 1.8 percent year on year to 4.84 million nine-litre cases, while sales value fell 3.5 percent to US$1 billion.  

Over the past 12 months, volumes have decreased by 1percent to 61.2 million nine-litre cases, while value growth slightly increased by 0.3 percent, reaching US$13.6 billion. 

Most spirit categories tracked by NABCA, which collects sales data from 18 control states, reported declines in September.  

Brandy and Cognac suffered one of the steepest drops, with volume falling 11.4 percent to 181,373 nine-litre cases and sales value down 15.8 percent to US$52.9 million.  

For the 12-month period, Brandy and Cognac volumes dropped 7.2 percent to 2.5 million nine-litre cases, while values declined 10 percent to US$769 million. 

The whiskey category also showed declines. “Other imported whiskey” (excluding Irish and Scotch varieties) saw sales value decrease by 21.7 percent to US$1.9 million and volumes drop 6.2 percent to 2,754 nine-litre cases. 

One bright spot amid the downturn was the cocktails category, which recorded growth in both volume and value in September and over the past year.  

The increase was largely driven by a 51.4 percent surge in canned cocktail volumes, reflecting a broader consumer shift toward ready-to-drink options.  

The category’s volume grew 34.3 percent in September, reaching 407,639 nine-litre cases, and rose 15.3 percent to 3.8 million nine-litre cases over the 12-month period.  

In terms of value, cocktails saw a 26.9 percent increase to US$32 million in September and a 14 percent rise to US$321 million over the past year. 

Tequila, another popular category, experienced mixed results. Although it recorded a 6.2 percent increase in volume to 6.7 million nine-litre cases and a 7.4 percent rise in value to US$2.4 billion over the past year, Tequila’s September volumes were down by 1 percent, with its sales value remaining flat at US$192 million. 

Major spirits producers are also feeling the strain. French liquor giant Pernod Ricard reported an 8 percent drop in total sales for its Americas market in its first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with a 10 percent decline in the US.  

CFO Hélène de Tissot highlighted ongoing inventory adjustments but remained optimistic about gradual market improvement over the coming year, despite expected declines. 

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