INTERNATIONAL. Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky and Absolut Vodka are the two top-selling spirits brands in global travel retail, according to the latest figures (for 2008) published by The IWSR.
Diageo-owned Johnnie Walker retained its market leadership in the year, although its sales were down by -1.2% to 1.6 million cases, owing to a sharp fall in sales of Johnnie Walker Black Label in the Americas and other important markets, such as the UK, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Diageo is the leading supplier to the travel retail liquor sector, with a market share of 25.8%. It owns six of the 25 fastest growing spirits brands in travel retail, and owns nine out of the 50 leading spirits brands in travel retail by volume.
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The consolidation of V&S and strong growth for most of its leading brands has enabled Pernod Ricard to build its share of the travel retail market to 23%, up from 22.3% in 2007. The French group produces 11 of the top 50 brands and seven of the top 25 growth brands, said The IWSR. Travel retail’s second largest spirits brand, Absolut, which was acquired by Pernod Ricard last year when it bought V&S, increased sales by +1.3% in 2008 to 1.05m cases.
Bacardi Global Travel Retail achieved big gains with each of its leading brands in travel retail last year. Bacardi rum grew by +7.3% in volume, Bombay Sapphire gin by +10.4%, Dewars Scotch whisky by +29.4% and Grey Goose vodka by +32.9%. All four brands rank among the top 10 growth brands, and Bacardi was the second-largest growth brand in 2008.
Two other rum brands – Pernod Ricard’s Havana Club and Diageo’s Captain Morgan – also featured among the brands posting the largest volume gains last year after each added about 15,000 cases, reflecting the strength of the rum category.
Edrington’s Famous Grouse moved up one place in the ranking of the top 50 travel retail brands to ninth, and was the third-largest growing brand in 2008. The Famous Grouse increased sales by +10.4% to exceed 0.4 million cases, with the brand enjoying strong growth in its two largest travel retail markets, the Nordic countries and Germany.
The two leading Cognac brands, Rémy Martin and Hennessy, both outperformed the Cognac category, which only expanded by +1.7% last year. Hennessy achieved a +9.7% increase in volumes and Rémy Martin posted a +7.9% rise.
Another of travel retail’s largest Cognac brands, Courvoisier, also increased volumes last year, by +5.3%. Courvoisier owner Beam Global produces four other brands that rank in the top 50, and these enjoyed mixed fortunes. The company’s flagship brand Jim Beam grew by +2.1%, but sales of Canadian Club, Teacher’s and Sauza declined.
Fifth-largest supplier Brown-Forman’s leading brand Jack Daniel’s added nearly 30,000 cases to rank seventh among the largest growth brands.
There are two new entries in the top 50 ranking: Campari’s Skyy vodka, which enjoyed a +32.2% rise in travel retail volumes last year, and C & C International’s Tullamore Dew, sales of which grew by +23.7%.
About The IWSR
The IWSR supplies volume and value data on global alcohol consumption. It provides more detail on more brands across more countries than any other source. The IWSR is the only source of volume data on the global Duty Free/Travel Retail spirits market. For more information or to receive a full list of the top 50 brands please contact: Sandra Newman at: sandra@iwsr.co.uk or tel: +44 (0) 207 689 6841.
