Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/379477
22 Beverage Dynamics • September/October 2014 www.beveragedynamics.com I t's a good time to be born and bottled in America—that is, if you're a whiskey. The numbers don't lie: According to the Beverage Information Group, the straight whiskey category showed a 6.7 percent increase from 2012 to 2013. "That growth was driven by high-end premium and super-premium brands—the categories saw 31-percent and 104-percent growth, respectively, over the past fi ve years," explains Andrew Floor, Senior Marketing Director, Dark Spirits at Campari America. "Bourbon is on fi re and the surge has been lasting for years now," says Dan Cohen, PR Director at Beam Suntory. "We're fi nding whiskey around the world is growing and doing really well and Bourbon is really leading the charge." Cohen attributes that growth to three factors: innovation, premiumization and authen- ticity. "We know that everyone is looking to discover new options," Cohen says. "They're interested in unique production; they're interested in a variety of different styles and types of Bourbon." But they're not just interested in the products. "Now more than ever, whiskey consumers are fi ercely interested in learning about stories behind the brands they consume, and whis- key is no exception" says Yvonne Briese, VP Marketing for Diageo North American whisky. "They want to know the history, production, and especially, the people behind the brands." As a result, there's plenty of attention paid to the category. "This category is so white hot right now," says Larry Kass, Director of Corporate Communications of Heaven Hill Distilleries. "It's getting so much interest as not only a distilled spirits product and consumer American brown spirits—straight whiskey, Bourbon and rye—are booming. BY KATE STRANDNESS I t I t I t I n I n IcIc packaged goods product, but a cultural phe- nomenon; that's a lot of what's driving this interest. We've just never seen the amount of attention and interest that's being paid to Bourbon and straight American whiskey. It's never been at this level clearly." The more apt question might be: What's not happening among straight whiskey? Matt Blevins, Senior Brand Manager, Jack Daniel's Craft Portfolio at Brown-Forman, sums it up: "It's a dynamic and exciting place to be." INNOVATIVE OFFERINGS As it celebrates its namesake's 150th birth- day, Jim Beam is rolling out several new additions to its portfolio. In August, the brand released its third fl avored whiskey, Jim Beam Kentucky Fire, which pairs Jim Beam's signature Kentucky Bourbon with cinnamon liqueur. Coming in at 70 proof, the 750 ml bottle has a suggested retail price of $15.99. "It hit a few select markets a few months ago and is now starting to reach every market nationally," Cohen says. "In the fi rst 13 weeks it's the sixth most suc- cessful innovation in all of spirits. We're expecting a lot of positive momentum for Kentucky Fire." Cohen credits Beam's 2009 Red Stag launch as the pioneer for the brand's fl avor innovations. "It started a wave of innova- tion across fl avors and also was a catalyst for further innovation at Beam," he says. "Since Red Stag we've seen Devil's Cut, which has been huge. It's up 49 percent in the last year." And the 2013 launch of Jim Beam Maple has had similar momentum in the category. "Jim Beam Maple is the eighth most successful innovation in all of spirits in the last year," Cohen says. Although Jim Beam has been recog- nized as a whiskey leader for decades, the A Taste for Classic Americana "Now more than ever, whiskey consumers are fi ercely interested in learning about stories behind the brands they consume." — Yvonne Briese, VP Marketing for Diageo North American whisky