Alcohol sales for the past three months have grown by 27%, CNN reports as of June 10th, 2020. We thought it was a great time to share the three most popular COVID era cocktails.
Even as some bars and restaurants reopen, alcohol delivery services like Drizly, which reports a 400% increase in sales, continue to do a booming business, Bloomberg reported.
With bars and restaurants closed or nearly closed, it makes sense that recent sales trends depict the massive shift in where consumers buy and ultimately where they consume their adult beverages of choice.
Compared with this time a year ago, during the seven-week COVID-impacted period ended April 18, brick-and-mortar alcohol dollar sales were up 21%, while online sales of alcohol have skyrocketed to over 2X that of a year ago, up 234%.
Fast e-commerce growth!
One of the best articles written on the effects of COVID-19 and the alcohol industry is from Nielson.com. I’d highly recommend the read.
It sheds light on current trends. Most of them are obvious to the industry professional and even the casual drinker will see some interesting correlations to the data and their own behaviors.
What do those trends say about what is being turned into a cocktail at home?
As is the case most of the time, Google knows. Well, Google Trends knows. In plain English, they track what we all search for relative to every other search made by others.
What was most searched for in every state.
- Alabama — Hurricane
- Alaska — Whiskey Sour
- Arizona — Paloma
- Arkansas — Frozen Daiquiri
- California — Paloma
- Colorado — Hurricane
- Connecticut — Margarita
- Delaware — Screwdriver
- Washington, DC — Old Fashioned
- Florida — Cuba Libre
- Georgia — Sazerac
- Hawaii — Lemon Drop Martini
- Idaho — Kamikaze
- Illinois — Manhattan
- Indiana — French 75
- Iowa — Kamikaze
- Kansas — Screwdriver
- Kentucky — Lily
- Louisiana — Bushwacker
- Maine — Margarita
- Maryland — Kamikaze
- Massachusetts — Old Fashioned
- Michigan — Cosmo
- Minnesota — Oliveto
- Mississippi — Painkiller
- Missouri — Gin and Tonic
- Montana — Blue Hawaiian
- Nebraska — Old Fashioned
- Nevada — Grasshopper
- New Hampshire — Old Fashioned
- New Jersey — Manhattan
- New Mexico — Old Fashioned
- New York — Manhattan
- North Carolina — Bushwacker
- North Dakota — Kamikaze
- Ohio — Boulevardier
- Oklahoma — Black Russian
- Oregon — Old Fashioned
- Pennsylvania — Whiskey Sour
- Rhode Island — Cosmo
- South Carolina — Tequila Sunrise
- South Dakota — Screwdriver
- Tennessee — Buschwacker
- Texas — Paloma
- Utah — Cape Cod
- Vermont — Cosmopolitan
- Virginia — Old Fashioned
- Washington — Old Fashioned
- West Virginia — Kamikaze
- Wisconsin — Grasshopper
- Wyoming — White Russian
The Leaders
The Old Fashioned takes the number one slot during COVID-19 lockdowns. This venerable cocktail is loved for a variety of reasons but our bet it has to do with it being a simple but effective way to dress up a value whiskey or bourbon brand and make it better that it would be otherwise. It’s more approachable than some other cocktails.
Next up is the Kamikaze. Wow, somebody is just wanting the pain to go away. From a sipping style first place winner to a shot drink. Yikes!
We have a multiple three way tie with drinks in Whiskey categories.
Pulling close up the backstretch of this little research project are the vodka category drinks.
What this tells us here at Liquid to Lips Marketing is that there is a massive underlying market for in-home cocktail entertainment.
Liquid to Lips Marketing helps craft the right go-to-market strategy, the right promotion, and the right proof of purchase technology. Your spirits brand could leverage online tasting events and grow sales.
We have a plan and technology for you as a brand owner, supplier, or decision maker.
If you’re interested in learning more about how we’ll help your brand grow, set up a call today. We want your business! Schedule here!
