Scotland’s most valuable off-trade RTDs+ brands

Sooped up

AT Scottish Grocer we often speak of certain drinks as young adult brands. They’re not exclusively for young adults, of course, but often they do hold special appeal for 18-24 year-olds.
And many ready-to-drink (RTD) products and some speciality drinks have been included in the young adult portfolio.
But recently both RTDs and specialities have, like some other categories, become considerably more complicated. And that can make them quite difficult to manage in retail, especially in shops where space is tight.
Let’s take RTDs first. The category increased Scottish off-trade sales by 8% last year and that’s despite Nielsen measuring the clear and continuing market leader WKD as down 6%, a recent very successful new product Crabbies Ginger Beer also in decline, and a former category stalwart Bacardi Breezer as dramatically down.
The success stories are a very varied mix – alcoholic energy drink Dragon Soop, freeze and squeeze range Parrot Bay, the classic RTD Hooch, and premixes from Gordon’s, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan.
In specialities V-Kat Schnapps appears to be in a much stronger position than last year.
Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack saw sales grow very considerably.
And Midori looks to be a drink that’s worth watching.
But the category generally was down, even though market leader Southern Comfort showed some growth.
Despite some decent summer weather, both of the Pimm’s lines in the top 15 saw their sales fall.

Scotland’s top off-trade RTDs by sales value :

Rank	Brand	MAT £000s to w/e 04.01.14	MAT £000s to /we 03.01.15	% Change
	Total RTD	28,475	30,790	8
1	WKD	6,701	6,289	-6
2	Smirnoff Ice	2,807	2,799	0
3	Crabbies Ginger Beer	2,318	1,691	-27
4	Dragon Soop	883	1,382	57
5	Parrot Bay	984	1,224	24
6	Smirnoff Sorbet	n/a	1,175	n/a
7	Gordon’s G&T	1,192	1,145	-4
8	Gordon’s Diet G&T	772	1,057	37
9	Caribbean Twist	917	920	0
10	Jack Daniel’s & Cola	854	845	-1
11	Bacardi Breezer	1,509	813	-46
12	Cptn Morgan Spiced & Cola	504	563	12
13	Smirnoff & Cola	368	534	45
14	Smirnoff & Cranberry	366	491	34
15	Hooch	243	465	91

Scotland’s top off-trade specialities by sales value :

Rank	Brand	MAT £000s to w/e 04.01.14	MAT £000s to /we 03.01.15	% Change
	Speciality drinks	13,274	12,456	-6
1	Southern Comfort Original	2,975	2,999	1
2	Malibu Coconut	1,699	1,713	1
3	Pimm’s No 1	1,336	1,126	-16
4	Archers Peach	714	708	-1
5	V-Kat Schnapps	245	569	132
6	Pernod	532	518	-3
7	Cactus Jack Apple Sour	404	307	-24
8	Midori	217	252	16
9	Campari	226	228	1
10	Jack Daniel’s Winter Jack	90	203	124
11	Southern Comfort Lime	221	197	-11
12	Brandx	172	186	8
13	Amore Peach	169	183	8
14	Spirit Of Louisiana	184	178	-3
15	Pimm’s Special Edition	197	167	-15