off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands
Leading the pack Which drinks categories are doing best in Scottish stores and which brands are leading the way? Using exclusive data provided by market research firm Nielsen, Scottish Grocer’s Most valuable Scottish off-trade brands guide aims to answer those questions. These brands are Scottish consumers’ current favourites. Do you have them on your shelves? ONCE again, Scottish Grocer brings Scotland’s retailers exclusive figures from Nielsen Scantrack that show which beer, wine and spirit brands sold best in Scotland in the past year. We then dig a little deeper to find the stories behind the biggest movers and shak-
ers in a host of drinks categories from ciders to malt whiskies, gins to vodkas to RTDs and non-cream liqueurs. The figures cover all of Scotland’s offtrade, so some brands’ placing and performance might reflect strong listings in supermarkets or a position of strength in
convenience outlets. What is clear from the off is that the majority of brands in the top 50 have done a great job of consolidating or improving their value sales over the 52 weeks to Hogmanay 2016, with double-digit growth not uncommon. At the top end, vodka still rules the roost in the off-trade with Smirnoff Red Label retaining its number one spot and Glen’s following behind in number two with a £7m drop
For another year, Smirnoff Red Label was top performing vodka brand in Scotland. The Famous Grouse is top blended Scotch, while Hardys is leading light wine and Tennent’s tops the lager chart. Overall, Scotland’s top five off-trade alcohol brands remain Smirnoff, Glen’s, Tennent’s, Budweiser and Stella Artois. 38 · Scottish Grocer · March 2017
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Scotland’s top 50 off-trade brands by sales value Rank
The figures in Scottish Grocer’s exclusive Scottish off-trade’s most valuable brands guide are provided by leading market research company Nielsen. Figures are Nielsen ScanTrack for total Scottish offtrade and are moving annual totals (MATs) for the year to 31 December 2016 and are compared to the MATs for the previous year – to 2 January 2016. in sales not quite enough to shift the top selling Scottish vodka. Big beer brands Tennent’s, Budweiser and Stella Artois again performed well, but the stand-out stars of this year’s top ten are The Famous Grouse and Buckfast Tonic Wine. As the top-selling whisky in the off-trade The Famous Grouse goes from strength to strength, and adding £3m in value sales during a year in which blended whisky sales dipped by 4.7% makes the achievement doubly impressive. The other major success story, Buckfast Tonic Wine, has broken into the top 10 this year with value sales growth of 11.5% suggesting the convenience store stalwart is as popular as ever. There are plenty of success stories moving down the top 50 too. Brewing giant Heineken’s decision to launch Strongbow Dark Fruit in 2013 now looks like an inspired choice with sales still soaring, up 55.1% in 2016. It’s also been a good year for a number of wine brands with Echo Falls Fruit Fusion adding £2.3m to its value sales and Campo Viejo up 22.2%, showing that the right wine brands really can hit the mark.
Last year
MAT £m to w/e 02.01.16
MAT £m to /we 31.12.16
% Change
1
1
Smirnoff Red Label
70.9
71.9
1.4
2
2
Glen’s
67.6
60.4
-10.7
3
3
Tennent’s
54.9
55.0
0.3
4
4
Budweiser
42.0
45.6
8.7
5
5
Stella Artois
34.9
35.0
0.3
6
6
The Famous Grouse
26.9
30.0
11.5
7
7
Hardys
26.4
27.3
3.4
8
13
Buckfast Tonic Wine
21.8
24.3
11.5 -1.5
9
8
Strongbow Original
23.4
23.1
10
9
Gordon’s
21.4
22.4
4.5
11
10
Whyte & Mackay
20.1
19.2
-4.5
12
11
Bells Original
18.1
15.8
-12.8
13
18
Russian Standard
13.7
15.1
10.4
14
16
Captain Morgan Spiced
14.9
15.1
1.4
15
15
Bacardi
15.1
14.5
-4.1
16
14
Foster’s
15.8
14.1
-10.3
17
12
Blossom Hill
17.1
13.3
-22.5
18
24
Corona
10.0
12.2
22.5
19
21
McGuigan
10.4
12.2
17.0
20
29
Barefoot
21
17
Echo Falls
22
23
Concha Y Toro
23
20
Jack Daniel’s
24
22
Carling
25
27
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
26
19
Isla Negra
27
41
28
26
29 30
8.7
11.2
28.2
14.3
11.1
-22.1
9.2
11.1
20.3
10.9
10.6
-2.5
10.2
10.6
4.0
9.2
10.1
10.1
11.1
9.9
-10.2
Strongbow Dark Fruit
6.2
9.7
55.1
Gallo Family Vineyards
9.5
9.2
-3.5
34
Coors Light
7.1
8.3
17.8
25
MGD
9.4
8.1
-14.2
31
28
Jacobs Creek
8.4
8.0
-5.0
32
33
Wolf Blass
7.2
7.9
10.2
33
37
Campo Viejo
6.4
7.9
22.2
34
39
Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Cider
6.2
7.5
19.4
35
40
Magners Original
6.3
7.0
10.6
36
35
Baileys Original
6.7
6.9
2.5
37
32
McEwans Export Ale
7.1
6.7
-5.1
38
NE
Echo Falls Fruit Fusion
4.4
6.7
50.7
39
NE
Plaza Centro Prosecco
5.2
6.5
24.9
40
46
Yellow Tail
5.4
6.5
20.0
41
44
Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime
5.7
6.5
14.0
42
43
Guiness Draught
6.1
6.2
2.0
43
47
Villa Maria
5.2
6.2
18.4
44
45
Kronenbourg 1664
5.5
6.1
11.2
45
36
Kumala
6.8
5.8
-15.0
46
30
Carlsberg
8.4
5.8
-31.1
47
31
Lindemans
7.6
5.6
-26.2
48
49
Bombay Sapphire
5.2
5.6
8.5
49
48
Three Barrels Grape Brandy
5.1
5.5
7.7
50
42
Grant’s Family Reserve
6.0
5.5
-9.4
NE = new entry
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Brand
March 2017 · Scottish Grocer · 39
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off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: spirits
Scotland’s top 50 off-trade spirits by sales value Rank
Launched in 2013, New Amsterdam Vodka has broken into the spirits top 50 with 177% value growth.
Premium sales are on the rise THERE’S one trend which has dominated the spirits category over the last year and that’s the rise of premium brands as a force to be reckoned with. A quick glance at the top 50 shows that this year’s top spirits table is littered with doubledigit growth figures which, on closer inspection, seem to reveal a growing demand for brands at a higher price point. Exceptional growth for a number of long-established premium brands including Absolut, Tanquery, Glenlivit and Talisker suggest the improved sales may be about more than marketing. Vodka continues to be Scotland’s favourite spirit to the tune of around £50m more sales than the total whisky category, but improvements in the single malt sub category coupled with rising gin sales driven on by the emergence of ‘craft’ brands seems to reaffirm the overarching trend. Predicting which brands will enjoy double-digit growth this year would be bold, but to say they will be premium feels like a safe guess.
Last year
Brand
£000s to w/e 02.01.16
£000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
1
1
Smirnoff Red Label
70,912
71,914
1.4
2
2
Glen’s
67,612
60,390
-10.7
3
3
The Famous Grouse
26,902
29,986
11.5
4
4
Gordon’s
21,424
22,397
4.5
5
5
Whyte & Mackay
20,058
19,157
-4.5
6
6
Bells Original
18,073
15,753
-12.8
7
9
Russian Standard
13,715
15,144
10.4
8
8
Captain Morgan Spiced
14,854
15,064
1.4
9
7
Bacardi
15,142
14,528
-4.1
10
10
Jack Daniel’s
10,916
10,642
-2.5
11
11
Baileys Original
6,695
6,860
2.5
12
14
Bombay Sapphire
5,156
5,594
8.5
13
13
Three Barrels Grape Brandy
5,150
5,544
7.7
14
12
Grant’s Family Reserve
6,044
5,475
-9.4
15
19
Absolut Vodka Original
3,104
3,778
21.7
16
26
Tanquery London Dry Gin
2,394
3,437
43.6
17
17
Courvoisier VS
3,364
3,347
-0.5
18
15
High Commissioner
4,483
3,092
-31.0
19
18
Southern Comfort
3,122
3,040
-2.6
20
25
Greenall’s Original
2,474
2,999
21.2
21
21
Glenfiddich 12 Yr Old
2,876
2,886
0.4
22
33
Glenlivit Founder’s Reserve
1,982
2,793
41.0
23
20
OVD
2,992
2,776
-7.2
24
22
Aberlour 10 Yr Old
2,709
2,638
-2.6
25
16
Glenmorangie Original
3,355
2,566
-23.5
26
31
Highland Park 12 Yr Old
2,099
2,481
18.2
27
24
Jura 10 Yr Old
2,434
2,437
0.1
28
27
Martell VS
2,382
2,436
2.3
29
29
Drambuie
2,313
2,305
-0.3
30
35
Bombay Dry Gin
1,867
2,270
21.6
31
34
Grey Goose
1,944
2,261
16.3
32
32
Jagermeister
2,051
2,075
1.2
33
30
Vladivar Classic
2,173
2,007
-7.6
34
37
Jim Beam
1,736
1,932
11.3
35
38
Disaronno
1,733
1,928
11.2
36
36
Malibu Coconut
1,799
1,699
-5.5
37
39
Jack Daniel’s Honey
1,719
1,694
-1.5
38
45
Hendrick’s
1,343
1,658
23.5
39
41
Tia Maria
1,635
1,605
-1.8
40
40
Glen Moray Classic
1,658
1,574
-5.1
41
NE
Green Mark Russian Vodka
2,602
1,433
-44.9
42
43
Glayva Liqueur
1,424
1,431
0.4
43
28
Teacher’s Highland Cream
2,385
1,377
-42.3
44
47
Chambord
1,269
1,367
7.7
45
46
Jameson
1,237
1,324
7.1
46
NE
New Amsterdam Vodka
473
1,314
177.4
47
44
Old Pulteney 12 Yr Old Malt
1,378
1,257
-8.8
48
NE
Caorunn
885
1,236
39.7
49
NE
Talisker Skye
500
1,219
144.0
50
42
The Glen Stag
1,537
1,212
-21.2
40 · Scottish Grocer · March 2017
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off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: gin and vodka
A spirited success
Scotland’s top off-trade gins by sales value Rank
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
Total Gin
47,962
53,648
1
Gordon’s
21,424
22,397
11.9 4.5
2
Bombay Sapphire
5,156
5,594
8.5
3
Tanquery London Dry Gin
2,394
3,437
43.6
4
Greenall’s Original
2,474
2,999
21.2
5
Bombay Dry Gin
1,867
2,270
21.6
6
Hendrick’s
1,343
1,658
23.5
7
Caorunn
885
1,236
39.7
8
Opihr London Dry Gin
149
559
274.9
9
Edinburgh Gin
206
430
108.3
10
Tanquery No Ten
211
409
93.4
11
Windsor Castle London Dry Gin
NA
400
NEW
12
Blackwoods Vintage Dry Gin
274
371
35.4
13
Whitley Neill
NA
301
NEW
14
Grosvenor London Dry Gin
261
298
14.2
15
Bloom
57
274
378.7
Scotland’s top off-trade vodkas by sales value Rank
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
Total Vodka Inc Flavoured
Craft gin brands such as Whitley Neill are performing exceptionally well as total category sales head skywards.
WHITE spirits are having something of a heyday in the Scottish off-trade at the moment as the vodka behemoths retain outstanding sales alongside a gin category that no one could ask more from in terms of growth. The premiumisation trend that’s touching on the entire spirits category is probably most evident in gin where three of the top 15 are showing triple-digit growth. Every single brand in the gin top 15 is in growth whether that be top seller Gordon’s, which has managed to add close to £1m in value sales despite competition from a flood of new brands entering the category. For vodka, a 2.8% dip in value sales may be less than ideal but with total value sales of £187m it’s not a drop that retailers should lose too much sleep over. Premium brands have per-
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
193,043
187,657
% Change
-2.8
1
Smirnoff Red Label
70,912
71,914
1.4
2
Glen’s
67,612
60,390
-10.7
3
Russian Standard
13,715
15,144
10.4
4
Absolut Vodka Original
3,104
3,778
21.7
5
Grey Goose
1,944
2,261
16.3
6
Vladivar Classic
2,173
2,007
-7.6
7
Green Mark Russian Vodka
2,602
1,433
-44.9
8
New Amsterdam Vodka
473
1,314
177.4
9
Absolut Raspberri
863
1,044
21.0
896
NEW
1,164
886
-23.9
10
Nikita Imperial Vodka
11
Kirov
12
Selekt
874
699
-20.0
13
Zubrowka Bison Vodka
492
608
23.6
14
Ciroc
302
476
57.9
15
Stolichnaya
466
457
-1.8
formed well here too with Russian Standard, Absolut and Grey Goose and Ciroc all on the rise. US import New Amsterdam Vodka deserves special mention for its 177% improvement in value sales. The spirit was first launched in the Scottish off-trade in 2013. Sales were possibly helped along by the introduction of a 35cl format last year. Flavours have also found success in the vodka top 10 with sales of Absolut Rasp-
berri up 21% while value sales of Polish import Zubrowka Bison Vodka were up by over £100,000. Looking ahead, the old favourites continue to do the bulk of heavy lifting in terms of spirits sales in the off-trade and retailers would be wise to ensure their core range contains all the staples. However, with demand for premium white spirits exploding over the last year it could be worth having something premium to offer.
Scottish success: Glen’s continues to be a convenience sector top seller.
42 · Scottish Grocer · March 2017
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Halewood - SG - Ashley.indd 1
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off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: lager
Numero Uno: Tennent’s takes its place at the top of the lager pile again this year but there’s plenty of movement below to keep brand owner’s C&C on their toes.
Big beasts of beer THERE’S hardly a category more reliable in terms of consistency than the beer category, with last year’s sales outperforming 2015, hitting close to the £282 million mark. Tennent’s is still top of the Scottish off-trade but Budweiser made real progress last year with 8.7% growth. Sales trends staying as they are, Budweiser would draw level at the top in just over two years, but it’s admittedly hard to see a scenario where Scotland’s favourite lager could be dethroned, even by the ‘King of Beers’. Tennent’s ascribes much of its success in 2016 to its launch of a series of limited-edition 12x330ml bottle packs. Claire Arnott, head of UK brand activation, said: “We introduced the packs at targeted points throughout the year in order to maximise the awareness and relevance of each pack to consumers. “For example our Valentine’s themed bottles came out in February, a Father’s Day pack in June and a Scottish football legends pack during the first
Scotland’s top off-trade lagers by sales value Rank
Brand
Total Lager
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
280,176
281,779
0.6
1
Tennent’s
54,858
54,995
0.3
2
Budweiser
41,976
45,615
8.7
3
Stella Artois
34,918
35,011
0.3
4
Foster’s
15,774
14,144
-10.3
5
Corona
9,957
12,201
22.5
6
Carling
10,196
10,598
4.0
7
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
9,198
10,124
10.1
8
Coors Light
7,071
8,328
17.8
9
MGD
9,438
8,101
-14.2
10
Kronenbourg 1664
5,520
6,138
11.2
11
Carlsberg
8,420
5,804
-31.1
12
San Miguel
4,763
4,926
3.4
13
Heineken (5%)
4,779
4,687
-1.9
14
Tyskie
4,207
4,332
3.0
15
Becks Bier
4,049
4,051
0.0
stages of the World Cup qualifiers. “Every limited-edition bottle pack was supported by a consumer focussed marketing campaign to help drive footfall into our retailers.” Much has been made of craft beers in recent years but perhaps due to that sub-category’s enduring love affair with
the IPA style there’s no headway as yet for small producers in the lager top 15. However, the trend for premium price point beers is evident with double digit increases for world beers Corona, Peroni Nastro Azzuro, Coors Light, and Kronenbourg 1664. All four brands have found themselves on the small
screen over the last year, which can’t have hurt their fortunes. For retailers, with all bar four of the top 15 lager brands in growth or maintaining sales there’s a solid argument to be made for keeping a broad range of beers in a variety of formats to meet customer demand.
44 · Scottish Grocer · March 2017
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TENNENT’S. OUTSELLS HOT CAKES.*
Fastest selling beer brand in Scotland.* So keep your fridge full, the Tennent’s cold and your customers happy.
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For enquiries contact 0845 601 5959.
27/02/2017 12:44
off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: liqueurs
Scotland’s top off-trade liqueurs by sales Rank
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
Total Non-Cream Liqueurs
% Change
22,587
6.5 -0.3
1
Drambuie
2,313
2,305
2
Jagermeister
2,051
2,075
1.2
3
Disaronno
1,733
1,928
11.2
4 6
Jack Daniel’s Honey Tia Maria Glavya Liqueur
1,719 1,635 1,424
1,694 1,605 1,431
-1.5 -1.8 0.4
7
Chambord
1,269
1,367
7.7
8
Cointreau
1,190
1,188
-0.1
9
Sourz Apple
965
995
3.1
10
Edinburgh Gin Raspberry
280
758
171.0
11
Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb
711
NEW
12
Sourz Raspberry
615
508
-17.3
13
Kahlua
329
406
23.4
14
Sourz Rainbow Ice
377
373
-0.9
15
Sourz Tropical Blue
231
303
31.4
5
Top dog: Drambuie sales dipped by 0.3% in value but the whisky liqueur still rules the roost.
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
21,217
Scotland’s top off-trade cream liqueurs by sales value Rank
Undisputed champion: A head and shoulders above the rest, Baileys continues to perform.
Sales head skywards for some THE case for clearing some room on drinks shelves for liqueurs looks strong this year, with the category showing healthy levels of growth. Both liqueur categories analysed by Nielsen improved in value sales terms in 2016, with cream liqueurs and non-cream liqueurs up 4.3% and 6.5% respectively. Traditional brands that will be familiar to most Scottish households retained their top spots with whisky-based li-
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
Total Cream Liqueurs
9,667
10,079
1
Baileys Original
6,695
6,860
4.3 2.5
2
Irish Meadow
367
451
23.1
3
O'Connors Irish Cream
283
311
10.2
4
Baileys Chocolat Luxe
313
301
-3.6
5
Causeway Country Cream
78
183
135.0
6
Baileys Orange Truffle
268
172
-35.6
7
Amarula
127
136
7.0
8
Baileys Coffee
131
9
Baileys Pumpkin Spice
132
1.1
103
NEW 42.2
10
Sheridans
70
99
11
Rum Chata
45
85
87.7
12
Causeway Coast Superior
47
68
42.9
13
Thorntons Chocolate Liqueur
72
50
-31.4
14
Arran Golf
36
42
16.6
15
Warninks White
97
38
-60.7
queur Drambuie still top dog of the non-cream liqueurs while Baileys Original remains the nation’s favourite cream. The stalwarts may lead the pack for now but there’s real movement below with a number of brands showing double and even triple-digit growth. You don’t need to go far to find evidence of the ongoing gin boom that’s being experienced across the Scottish off and on-trade at present, with the juniper-infused spirit’s pop-
ularity bleeding over into the liqueurs category thanks to Edinburgh Gin. The small-batch gin maker’s Raspberry liqueur has posted eye-watering growth figures of 171%, while Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb enters the Nielsen rankings with first-year sales figures of £711,000 – surely ones to watch for the future. Cream liqueurs weren’t short of success stories either as Causeway Country Cream smashed through the six-figure
barrier and then some, growing 135% in 12 months to reach a total value sales figure of £183,000. Further down the cream liqueur rankings, it’s been a good year for Rum Chata sales, up 87.7% to £85,000. While consumer palates evolve with the rise of cocktail culture, the liqueurs market is worth keeping an eye on as the category that was once a mystery to many becomes more and more accessible.
46 · Scottish Grocer · March 2017
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27/02/2017 10:21 12:35 15/02/2017
off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: whisky
Scotland’s top off-trade blended Scotch by sales value Rank
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
Total Blended Scotch
The Famous Grouse found itself in unfamiliar surroundings over the festive period thanks to an awardwinning ad for the Scottish off-trade’s biggest blended whisky.
Big brands mount a response BLENDED whisky sales may have dropped this year, but not for lack of action on the part of the top-selling brands in the Scottish off-trade. Hats go off to The Famous Grouse. The brand posted double-digit growth figures for 2016 and a revamped television campaign (see above) can’t have done any harm in that regard. Whyte & Mackay also performed well with a slight drop in value sales, but still outperforming the category as a whole. Last year saw Whyte & Mackay grew its distribution and volume share, led by the ‘Surprisingly Smooth’ campaign. Not content to rest on their laurels, Stephen Watt, UK sales director for Whyte & Mackay, said the team behind the brand is confident it will “continue to grow from strength to strength” this year. While the blended category experiences 4.7% sales decline, malts are on the up, increasing sales by 6.9% to break through the £40m
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
100,707
96,006
-4.7
29,986
11.5
1
The Famous Grouse
26,902
2
Whyte and Mackay
20,058
19,157
-4.5
3
Bells Original
18,073
15,753
-12.8
4
Grants Family Reserve
6,044
5,475
-9.4
5
High Commissioner
4,483
3,092
-31.0
6
Teachers Highland Cream
2,385
1,377
-42.3
7
The Glen Stag
1,537
1,212
-21.2
8
Chivas Regal 12 Year Old
1,103
1,124
1.9
9
Johnnie Walker Red Label
1,037
919
-11.4 -6.7
10
Black Bottle
913
851
11
Johnnie Walker Black Label
573
598
4.5
12
Scots Club
532
NEW
13
The Famous Grouse Smoky
145
525
262.7
14
Scottish Leader Finest
824
387
-53.0
15
Label 5 Classic Black
117
380
225.2
Scotland’s top off-trade malt Scotch by sales value Rank
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
Total Malt Scotch
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
38,053
40,672
6.9
1
Glenfiddich 12 Year Old
2,876
2,886
0.4
2
The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve
1,982
2,793
41.0
3
Aberlour 10 Year Old
2,709
2,638
-2.6
4
Glenmorangie Original
3,355
2,566
-23.5
5
Highland Park 12 Year Old
2,099
2,481
18.2
6
Jura 10 Year Old
2,434
2,437
0.1
7
Glen Moray Classic
1,658
1,574
-5.1
8
Old Pulteney 12 Year Old
1,378
1,257
-8.8
9
Talisker Skye
500
1,219
144.0
10
Jura Superstition
1,158
1,126
-2.7
11
Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold
220
1,102
401.5
12
Laphroaig Malt 10 Year Old
883
976
10.5
13
Auchentoshan American Oak
430
905
110.7
14
Aberlour double cask 12 Year
646
889
37.7
15
The Ardmore Legacy
788
868
10.1
barrier. The recent distillery trend towards no age statement releases seems to be paying off for quite a few brands with most of the biggest movers in the category ascending the ranks without a “year old” anywhere on the label. The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, Talisker Skye, Dalwhinnie Winter’s Gold, Auchentoshan American Oak and The Ardmore Legacy, are all
shining examples of the sales growth that can be achieved by stocking a more affordable malt. Looking to the future, it seems fair to say distilleries will continue to explore no age statement malts, allowing them to produce quality Scottish whisky at a price point that wont hurt pockets. The Glenlivet Founders Reserve is an example of the sales figures no age statement malts can achieve.
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WHYTE & MACKAY IS THE #2 BLENDED BRAND IN SCOTTISH OFF TRADE* Source: Nielsen 31.12.16
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off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: RTDs
Reasons for optimism THE RTD category has had to fend off tough competition from cider since the first bottle of Magners was poured over ice over a decade ago, but despite some setbacks for a few big brands there are success stories worth paying attention to. Sales figures for the total RTD category contracted in 2016, dropping from just shy of £30m to £27.4m. While a contraction of 6.7% is less than ideal, there are green shoots of growth driven by product innovation that could spell bright sales figures for RTDs in the years to come. One major trend in the category is a migration towards cans with Diageo brands Gordons and Captain Morgan finding new growth opportunities in the RTD category as premix cans hit the spot with consumers. The rise and rise of gin likely accounts for some of Gordons G&T and diet G&T’s sales growth, with these brands up 25.1% and 29.2% respectively, but 36% growth for Captain Morgan & Cola and BrownForman Brands’ Jack Daniel’s & Cola, suggests the format itself is fuelling the fire of consumer demand. Despite the success of premix cans, Frazer MacDonnell of Nielsen said bottles still make up the majority of the market, held up in part by £5.4m worth of WKD sales. A long-standing leader of the RTD scene, WKD was subject to a compete overhaul last year which saw brand owner SHS Drinks roll out a new bottle across the range as well as introducing two new lowercalorie variants. WKD’s packaging overhaul came late in 2016 so the jury is still out on how the new look has affected sales.
Scotland’s top off-trade RTDs by sales value Rank
Brand
Total RTD
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
29,418
27,434
-6.7
1
WKD
6,405
5,358
-16.4
2
Dragon Soop
2,831
3,279
15.8
3
Smirnoff Ice
2,573
2,372
-7.8
4
Jack Daniel’s & Cola
1,330
1,487
11.8
5
Crabbies Ginger Beer
1,310
1,296
-1.1
6
Gordons G&T
805
1,007
25.1
7
Gordons diet G&T
762
984
29.2
8
Caribbean Twist
1,006
848
-15.6
9
Captain Morgan & Cola
456
620
36.0
10
Hooch
513
582
13.4
11
Parrot Bay
689
490
-28.9
12
Smirnoff Sorbet
755
424
-43.8
13
Smirnoff & Cola
447
364
-18.6
14
VOK
183
279
52.1
15
Smirnoff & Cranberry
342
260
-24.0
Bottle sales still top the RTD category thanks in part to brands like WKD and Crabbie’s, but pre-mix cans were the big winners of 2017. (Bottom right) Marketing for Hooch seems to have hit the spot, value sales rose by 13.4% in 2016.
Another big-hitting bottled RTD, Crabbie’s did well to outperform the market as a whole, with sales down by just 1.1% showing there’s still an appetite for alcoholic ginger beer among consumers. Reborn RTD brand Hooch, which first rose to prominence
during the ‘alcopop’ heyday, also had a successful year. The brand’s irreverent marketing appears to have hit the spot with sales up 13.4%. But perhaps the biggest RTD success story of the Scottish off-trade in recent years, Dragon Soop, continues to
grow – secure in its spot as the second biggest RTD. Last year saw the brand increase its value sales by £448,000, an increase of 15.8% on 2015, and it would be brave or foolish to bet against Dragon Soop seeing more success in 2017.
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off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: specialities
As cocktail sales boom in the on-trade, could consumers looking to replicate their favourite tipples at home lead to value sales growth in the speciality spirits category? Sales growth for Midori, Campari and Aperol suggest it’s possible, as improving drinks knowledge among consumers sees more adventurous flavours performing well.
Something of a mix up 2016 was not the best year for a number of speciality spirits with 11 of the top 15 brands showing sales decline. However, there are encouraging signs in places. Top of the speciality pile, Southern Comfort outperformed the market last year with sales dipping just 2.6% compared with 8.8% for the category as a whole. The same can be said for coconut and rum based spirit Malibu, which dropped 5.5% in value sales but retains its number two spot. Look further down the top 15 and encouraging signs that cocktail culture is starting to seep into the off-trade can be found. Sales of Italian aperitif Aperol soared last year, up 54.2%, to reach a total of £222,000 in value sales. Marketing activity at the Ed-
Scotland’s top off-trade specialities by sales value Rank
Brand
Speciality Drinks
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
12,231
11,151
-8.8 -2.6
1
Southern Comfort Original
3,122
3,040
2
Malibu Coconut
1,799
1,699
-5.5
3
Pimms No 1
783
669
-14.5
4
Archers Peach
629
594
-5.5
5
V-Kat Schnapps
721
511
-29.1
6
Pernod
499
469
-6.1
7
Cactus Jacks Apple Sour
239
255
6.7
8
Campari
219
239
8.8
9
Midori
211
234
10.5
10
Aperol
144
222
54.2
11
Brandx
199
193
-3.1
12
Passoa
169
160
-5.3
13
Spirit of Louisiana
162
147
-9.1
14
Savanna Peach Schnapps
215
144
-33.2
15
Pimms Special Edition
151
138
-8.8
inburgh Festival can’t have hurt the brand and its sparkling suggested serve – Aperol Spritz – is clearly a hit with
some consumers. Campari was also resurgent last year, up 8.8%, and it’s worth wondering if the
aperitif’s position as a key ingredient in the Negroni gin cocktail hasn’t helped sales of the brand along.
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off-trade – Scotland’s most valuable brands: ale and stout
Scotland’s top off-trade ales by sales value Rank
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
Total Ale
Brewdog sales continue to go from strength to strength with Punk IPA soaring to third place.
Innovation sits well with beer UNHEARD of in most off-trade outlets not too long ago, craft beer has well and truly made its mark on the ale category over the last few years and can be credited as the driving force behind the total growth of 9.8%. Despite the exceptional growth of craft beer, both ale and stout are topped by old favourites with McEwan’s Export Ale posting total value sales figures of £6.7 million last year while Guinness Draught was up 2% at £6.2m. Looking down the ale list it’s clearly been a good year for Scottish craft brewers. Brewdog, the big beast of craft, has hit the number three spot this year thanks to 124% growth for Punk IPA while hoppy, citrusy Dead Pony Club breaks into the top 15 on the back of 171% growth. Alloa-based brewery Williams Bros also had a strong year with its Joker IPA up 74% in value sales to take eighth place in the ale rankings. When it comes to stout there’s still one brewery that stands head and shoulders above the rest. The Guinness Brewery at St James’s Gate is responsible
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
39,828
43,737
9.8
7,058
6,696
-5.1
1
McEwan’s Export Ale
2
John Smith’s Extra Smooth
4,177
4,159
-0.4
3
Brewdog Punk IPA
1,153
2,584
124.2
4
Tennent’s Special
1,847
1,925
4.2
5
Belhaven Best Draught
1,750
1,836
4.9
6
Old Speckled Hen
1,262
1,279
1.3
7
McEwan’s Special
1,046
1,128
7.9
8
Joker IPA
633
1,101
74.0
9
Innis & Gunn Original
1,008
993
-1.5
10
Hobgoblin
11
Newcastle Brown
890
992
11.4
1,189
986
-17.0
12 13
Caledonian Deuchars IPA
997
836
-16.1
Brewdog Dead Pony Club
279
758
171.2
14
Arran Blonde
562
620
10.4
15
Ossian
501
555
10.7
Scotland’s top off-trade stout by sales value Rank
Brand
MAT £000s to w/e 02.01.16
MAT £000s to /we 31.12.16
% Change
Total Stout
8,670
8,622
-0.6
1
Guinness Draught
6,060
6,180
2.0
2
Guinness Original
982
861
-12.4
3
Tennent’s Sweetheart
664
591
-11.1
4
Murphy’s Draught
316
226
-28.6
5
Belhaven Black
184
180
-2.1
6
Guinness Foreign Extra
53
104
96.2
7
Cairngorm Black Golf
104
101
-2.8
8
Brewdog Jet Black Heart
89
NEW
9
21.3
Mackeson
43
52
10
Black Wych Stout
36
36
1.3
11
Innis & Gunn Irish Whiskey
32
NEW
12
March of the Penguins
33
28
-15.8
13
Youngs Double Chocolate
10
20
99.2
14
Broughton Dark Dunter
38
19
-50.9
15
Orkney Dragonhead
36
18
-48.4
for the top two stout brands, making for a combined total of over £7 in value sales. The Dublin-based brewery also has a high climber in the mix with Guinness Foreign Extra nearly doubling its value sales over the course of 2016. Foreign Extra isn’t the only stout making a rapid ascent. Youngs Double Chocolate also enjoyed fantastic success by anyone’s standards, doubling value sales from £10m to £20m, Looking at the year ahead,
it’s clear that the big sellers of the past are still able to pull in customers, but it’s equally clear that retailers who have yet to jump on the craft train would do well to consider it. Total sales figures for the category may suggest that the fizz has fallen away from beer slightly, but with innovation coming from brewers big and small retailers would be well advised to watch this space. King of the stouts: A favourite down the generations, Guinness sales stand a cut above the rest.
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Scotland’s must stock brand
Quality is in our nature Sales 0141 572 1580 Brewery Tours 01770 302 353 www.arranbrewery.com ArranBrewery - SG - linda.indd 1 1 ARRAN BLONDE GROCER A4.indd
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