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
New Adult Non-Alc Entries Challenging Top Brands; Pressure On Price Increases
The adult non-alc category is on its way to hitting $1 billion in off-premise sales as new entries shake up the top brand families and begin to drive prices down, according to market research firm NIQ.
RTD Growth Not Slowing, Causing ‘Alarming Downturn’ in FMBs
“Flavored alcohol” across categories has become a lonely bright spot for the bev-alc industry, which is finding itself particularly pessimistic in 2025, according to the latest monthly report from Bump Williams of Bump Williams Consulting (BWC).
NIQ: Bev-Alc Sales -3% Halfway Through 2025; Summer ‘Falling Short for Beer’
Beverage-alcohol sales are down 3% year-to-date (YTD) in off-premise channels, market research firm NIQ shared in its “Halftime Report.” Beer, wine and spirits dollar sales topped $53 billion as of July 5, the firm reported. Declines occurred across all off-premise measured channels.
NIQ: Economic and Health Concerns at Play in Moderating Bev-Alc Trends
Consumers’ embrace of moderation when it comes to beverage-alcohol is well documented, but their reasons for doing so are varied, according to research from insights firm NIQ.
23% of Consumers Abstaining From Alcohol Ahead of Summer; Majority Still Consuming ‘Regularly or Occasionally’
Nearly a quarter of consumers (23.3%) have stopped drinking, or are taking a break from bev-alc, according to a recent survey by Bump Williams Consulting (BWC).
Despite Economic Uncertainty, Consumers Still Prioritizing On-Premise Visits, Per CGA
Half of consumers went out for a drink in March, and on-premise visitations aren’t expected to slow down despite economic uncertainty, according to NIQ’s on-premise marketing research arm CGA.
Bump Williams: As ‘Growth Engines Stop Growing,’ Bev-Alc’s Short-Term Outlook is ‘Concerning’
Off-premise trends across beverage-alcohol suggest an even bleaker year ahead for the industry than “what we already limped through in 2024,” according to the latest monthly update from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC) and founder Bump Williams.
CGA: St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness Week 1 Outperform 2024 in the On-Premise
St. Patrick’s Day gave the on-premise a welcome boost, but it wasn’t completely sunny for the bev-alc industry, according to the latest report by CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NIQ.
Brewers Association: Packaged Craft -4% in 2024; Craft Singles Only Package to Increase Volume and Share
Brewers Association-defined craft beer recorded a -4% decline in packaged volume in 2024, BA staff economist Matt Gacioch reported this week in the trade group’s annual packaging report.
CGA: How Committed Were Consumers to Dry January? Plus, a Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day Preview
While consumers were optimistic about their Dry January plans in December, those plans quickly changed for some, according to the latest report from CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NIQ.
NIQ: Beer Volume +0.7%, Dollars +3%; Sierra Nevada +6%, Coors Banquet +20% Volume
The beer category is in the black to start 2025, with off-premise dollar sales growing +3% and volume +0.7% year-to-date (YTD) through January 18 in NIQ-tracked channels (total U.S. xAOC plus liquor plus convenience).
NIQ: Adult Non-Alc Nears $1B; RTDs Drive Growth
Total bev-alc retail sales reached $112 billion in 2024 but, excluding ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, no category saw growth in dollars or volume, according to market research firm NIQ.
CGA: Last 2 Weeks of December -6%; Trends Flat Through New Year’s
On-premise sales velocity declined -6% for the two-week period ending December 28 and was flat through the New Year’s holiday for the week ending January 4, according to the latest report from CGA, NIQ’s on-premise division.
Consumers Starting to Explore RTDs in the On-Premise
One-quarter of consumers who have visited the on-premise in the past three months have ordered a ready-to-drink cocktail (RTD) during that time, according to CGA, the on-premise arm of market research firm NIQ.