Q1 2025 Beer, Spirits & NA Beverage Performance & Trends – 3Tier Beverages via NIQ
In this exclusive quarterly deep dive curated for Brewbound Insiders, 3Tier Beverages breaks down the latest trends shaking up the beverage industry.
NIQ
Featured NIQ Content
On-Premise Update & Outlook – CGA by NIQ March 2025
The On Premise universe grew in December, particularly driven by openings of Casual dining outlets, which were the most common venue type.
Bump Williams Consulting: FMB, Spirits-Based RTD Volume Gains Slowing; Imports Remain ‘Beacon of Consistent Volume’ Growth
The once-booming flavored malt beverage (FMB) segment is “showing some concerning declarations over recent weeks,” Bump Williams Consulting (BWC) founder Bump Williams noted in a recent report. FMB volume gains dropped by half – from +2.2%, to +1.1% – from the four-week period to the one-week period ending May 18, according to NIQ retail measurement data cited by BWC.
Additional Content
NIQ Weekly Scans: Bev-Alc Down Single-Digits in L4W Thru Mid-April; Import Volume Back in Red YTD
Bev-alc’s off-premise trends have remained relatively consistent post-Easter, according to the latest weekly report from market research firm NIQ.
NIQ Weekly Scans: Mass Retail Bev-Alc Sales Rebound Despite Easter Holiday Recalibration
Beverage-alcohol’s off-premise sales returned to year-over-year (YoY) contraction post-Easter, according to the latest report from market research firm NIQ.
NIQ: St. Patrick’s Boost Bev-Alc On-Premise Sales Across All Categories; Velocity +1% YoY in L12W
All beverage-alcohol categories had a stronger St. Patrick’s Day in the on-premise this year compared to 2025, according to the latest report from market research firm NIQ.
Cutwater and Surfside’s Triple-Digit Growth Boost Spirits Sales
With recent warmer weather comes an uptick in bev-alc dollar sales, which flipped to positive (+0.5%) in the two-week period ending April 4 – a sequential improvement from -0.8% in the four-week window and -1.2% in the 12-weeks, according to the latest analysis of NIQ data from Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
NIQ Weekly Scans: Easter Boosts Bev-Alc Sales +6.8% WoW; Wine Benefits Most From Holiday
Total bev-alc dollar sales accelerated 6.8% week-over-week (WoW) in off-premise channels in the first week of April as consumers celebrated Easter early, according to NIQ’s latest weekly report.
NIQ On-Premise Update: Festivals, Baseball & Mini Cocktails
Coachella kicks off this weekend, with up to 125,000 people set to flock to Indio, California, each day to see Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Karol G and others – hopefully with a beverage in hand.
NIQ Weekly Scans: Beer Dollars -1.4% YTD Thru Q1, Volume -2.9%; Imports Leading Beer Share Gains
After a two-week run, St. Patrick’s Day’s boost to bev-alc sales has come to an end. Total bev-alc dollar sales in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels declined 0.9% week-over-week (WoW), to $1.98 billion, according to the market research firm’s latest report (data ending March 28).
Beer on the Chopping Block as Distributors Make Way for Spirts & RTDs, per BWC Survey
Non-alcoholic (NA) and better-for-you brands across both bev-alc and greater CPG have become some of the greatest revenue growth drivers for beer distributors. But those offerings aren’t the top priorities for distributors looking to add to their portfolios, according to a new survey from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC).
NIQ Weekly Scans: Beer Receives Post-St. Patrick’s Day Boost; Prepared Cocktails Top $254M
The luck of the Irish carried on for the beer category in the week after St. Patrick’s Day. Off-premise dollar sales of beer increased 3.1% week-over-week, to $863.3 million, for the week ending March 21, in NIQ-tracked retail channels. That marked a $33.7 million boost from the $829.6 million in sales the prior week.
NIQ Weekly Scans: YoY Bev-Alc Declines Accelerate Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day
Bev-alc’s year-over-year (YoY) off-premise losses accelerated slightly in the week leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, despite a week-over-week (WoW) improvement, market research firm NIQ reported in its weekly check in.
NIQ Weekly Scans: Bev-Alc Declines Persist Thru Early March, Dragged by Liquor and Grocery
The kickoff to March brought continued declines for the bev-alc industry in NIQ-tracked off-premise channels, according to the market research firm’s latest weekly report.
NIQ Weekly Scans: RTDs Remain Only Major Category to Record YoY Growth Thru February
One consistent trend through the first two months of 2026 has been the strength of ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs).
NIQ: Adult Non-Alc Needs to ‘Move Beyond Flavor Extensions’
Non-alcoholic (NA) wine, beer and spirits still account for less than 1% of total alcohol category sales – leaving a runway for brands that innovate with popular functional ingredients, according to a new report from market research firm NIQ.
Sun Cruiser, Cutwater Power RTDs In Latest NIQ Scans
Spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) posted another blowout two-week period, up more than 30% in dollar sales, as brands such as Cutwater and Sun Cruiser continued to pull consumers away from former leaders, according to an analysis of NIQ data from Goldman Sachs Equity Research.