Spirit New Product Registrations Surge 112% Over Last Year

Wine and beer new product registrations also see positive growth in Q2 2021 

The beverage alcohol industry continues to fluctuate as it accounts for varying consumer buying patterns, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second quarter of 2021 saw positive growth in new product registrations, with the spirit category leading the way. Sovos ShipCompliant reviewed data from our Product Registration Online (PRO) tool to gauge how market conditions and consumer buying patterns influenced producers’ new product registrations.

The following is a breakdown of the new product registration data via PRO from Q2 of 2021 (April, May, June) for spirits, beer and wine.

Spirits 

The spirits category also continues to spike in the wake of the pandemic, with product registrations surging 112% over last year and up 46% over last quarter. The huge year-over-year growth was largely driven by rum and vodka. 

Whiskey registrations are up 78% over Q2 of last year and grew 68% over last quarter. Gin is still the smallest spirit category by number of registrations in Q2 but spiked 214% over last year and saw a more modest 12% increase in product registrations over last quarter.

Rum product registrations grew 82% over last year and 41% over last quarter, while tequila had the smallest registrations growth in the spirits category of 25% over last year and 9% from last quarter. Vodka registrations climbed 137% year-over-year and 36% over last quarter. 

Wine 

Overall, product registrations in the wine category were up 23% over last year, but down 12% versus last quarter. Only Sake and Sparkling registrations grew over last quarter; all categories except Red and Rosé grew over last year.

Fruit and dessert wine (the largest category by number of registrations in Q2) increased 64% over 2020, but were down 15% compared to Q1.
Red and Rosé were flat year-over-year and each decreased 19% quarter-over-quarter.
White, Sake and Sparkling product registrations saw year-over-year increases of 11%, 240% and 24%, respectively. White decreased 6% quarter-over-quarter, while Sake and Sparking had 70% and 25% quarter-over-quarter increases, respectively. 

Beer/Malt 

The second quarter of 2021 saw continued growth for product registrations in the beer/malt channel, with a 4% increase over last quarter and a 15% year-over-year climb. Beer was a key driver for that growth, up 31% over last quarter and 33% over last year. However, malt (hard seltzers, etc.) registrations were down by 15% over last quarter and are flat over last year.