Britain’s Biggest Alcohol Brands 2022: The top 100

1 (1)

Stella Artois

Sales: £646.7m

Growth: –11.8%

Stella Artois’ latest TV ad is an exercise in naked ambition. ‘Beer Au Naturel’ shows a nude barman serving a pint to an equally in-the-buff customer.

It’s designed to promote Stella’s new Unfiltered lager, unveiled in February.

“We were hugely excited to expand the Stella Artois family with the launch of Unfiltered,” says Mark Wingfield Digby, off-trade sales director for owner Budweiser Brewing Group.

“The unfiltered lager category, highly popular across Europe, is currently an untapped segment in the UK market and brings a differentiated, flavoursome addition to the world lager category,” he adds.

BBG plans to boost off-trade sales of cloudy Unfiltered with a rollout into pubs this summer. This will be backed by a sampling campaign, trade support, and the stepping up of ‘Beer Au Naturel’ activity – which the brewer says is the biggest media investment in Stella since 2017.

“The launch of Stella Artois Unfiltered is our big bet this year,” sums up Wingfield Digby. “The new ‘Beer Au Naturel’ is in line with ‘The Life Artois’ mindset, which encourages people to enjoy life’s simple pleasures and savour life together.

“The concept captures a laid-back, carefree lifestyle. Enjoyment of our beer is at the heart of all our creatives.”

 

The 5% abv Unfiltered is the sort of canny innovation that’s helped keep Stella at the top of this list for years.

Past examples of spin-offs and recipe tweaks abound. Take the 1993 launch of 5.5% abv Stella Dry, backed by ads claiming a “strong yet light” taste, “like a rhino pumped with helium”.

Stella 4% hit the market in 2008, aimed at drinkers cutting back on alcohol. Three years later, with UK cider sales booming, Stella Cidre was launched.

Dry, 4% and Cidre were all eventually axed – but only after first delivering decent sales.

The premium Unfiltered looks like it’s in for a decent innings too, having hit £1.8m in its first two months.

Similarly, on-trend Stella Alcohol-Free, added in 2020, is soaring – up 69.6% to £3.1m.

“Stella Artois Alcohol-Free taps the growing no-and-low alcohol category, which is now worth £102m in the off-trade,” says Wingfield Digby.

“The premiumisation trend is being replicated in the no-and-low beer category, which grew 23% year on year as consumers look to treat themselves while moderating.”

The success of Alcohol-Free and Unfiltered will no doubt provide some solace to Stella, which overall has suffered the third-greatest absolute loss of the year – a decline of £86.7m with 34.3 million litres lost.

The core lager – which last year sparked some shoppers’ ire after cutting its abv from 4.8% to 4.6% – is worth £85.5m less.

“The past two years have been like no other,” explains Wingfield Digby.

“As a result of lockdown restrictions, alcohol consumption was driven in-home practically overnight, leading to a boom of off-trade sales at an unsustainable rate.”

Still, Stella has weathered the storm better than many of its rivals. In percentage terms, 14 lagers in this year’s top 100 have lost more.

Stella’s in good shape when judged against pre-pandemic levels, points out Wingfield Digby. “Volume sales of Stella Artois have increased 5.4%. During times of uncertainty, shoppers opt for brands they already know and trust to deliver high quality and taste.

“As a result, Stella Artois has gained 0.6% points of market share as consumers continue to seek out premium options.”

It’s having to evolve to keep that momentum. While larger multipacks reigned during the pandemic, BBG points to a recovery in singles and smaller packs since the easing of Covid restrictions in 2021. As such, Unfiltered is available in 660ml, 4x330ml and 6x330ml packs to cater for all eventualities.

Nevertheless, BBG expects overall supermarket beer sales to slide further from the heights of lockdown, despite events like the World Cup, which will kick off in Qatar in November. Punters will continue to flock back to pubs and bars, Wingfield Digby predicts.

“We’re forecasting that the on-trade will see a huge improvement in sales compared to 2021,” he says.

However, the complete rebalancing of channels will take time. BBG expects on-trade sales this year to remain 7.9% lower than 2019 levels. “Before the pandemic, our sales were 70% off-trade, 30% on-trade. It will take another year to get back to this level.”

So, that’s Stella’s coming 12 months laid bare, then.

2 (2)

Smirnoff

Sales: £589.6m

Growth: +3.9%

Smirnoff’s been indefatigable this past year. The Diageo-owned vodka’s £22m gain is the biggest of any spirits brand – and the third-biggest overall.

While rivals produced in Russia, such as Russian Standard (37), have suffered delistings due to the invasion of Ukraine, British-made Smirnoff has remained on shelves.

As such, the brand “is the number one contributor to value growth across total vodka” claims owner Diageo’s head of off-trade category development, Lauren Priestley. “With a rising trend of cocktails, vodka has increased share of spirits.”

As it stands for Smirnoff, value sales of the core No.21 voddy are flat at £516.6m – no mean feat given the full reopening of pubs and bars in May 2021. In fact, that might have even helped drive sales.

“Six of the top 10 mainstream cocktails in the on-trade contain vodka,” Priestley notes. “So, it’s no surprise that Smirnoff No.21 has benefited.”

Putting in a similarly impressive performance is bottled RTD Smirnoff Ice, which has remained steady at £24.9m.

Arguably, however, it’s flavoured voddy that’s been the brand’s star turn. Look at Raspberry Crush. Launched in June 2021, it’s now worth £20m in grocery. Mango & Passion followed in November and is already worth £5.4m.

“We’re always looking for ways to welcome new drinkers to Smirnoff by aligning the drinks we offer to consumer trends,” says Priestley. “In particular, innovation within the flavoured vodka segment has been crucial to Smirnoff’s success over the past year.”

Now the brand’s eyeing pre-mixed NPD for further growth. Raspberry Crush & Lemonade in a 250ml can – added in April 2022 – is “perfectly placed to capitalise” on the complementary crazes of flavoured vodka and RTD cocktails, Priestley believes.

“New flavour additions are certainly key growth drivers across the category.”

3 (3)

Gordon’s

Sales: £459.8m

Growth: –15.0%

On the face of it, the gin boom looks over for Gordon’s. It’s lost £81m, after all – and its core London Dry is down 10% in value. But Britain’s second-biggest spirits brand is isn’t in as bad shape as it might appear.

For one thing, it’s up £26.8m on the pre-pandemic sales we reported in 2019. For another, its on-trend lines are in sturdy growth. Take Gordon’s 0.0%, which has cashed in on the temperance craze with a £5.8m gain across its spirit and RTD formats, the latter added in spring 2021.

They were joined this April by a 0% abv Gordon’s Pink. “The alcohol-free trend is showing no signs of slowing down,” says Lauren Priestley, Diageo head of off-trade category development. “The latest innovation is set to capitalise on growing momentum.”

4 (4)

Budweiser

Sales: £448.8m

Growth: –15.1%

Sales may have fallen nearly £80m in the past year, but Budweiser Brewing Group says its namesake lager is still up 11.3% on pre-pandemic levels.

“Budweiser was one of the main beer brands consumers looked for during lockdown, and this has remained the case in 2022,” says off-trade sales director Mark Wingfield Digby.

As the official beer of the England men’s football team alongside Bud Light (74), Budweiser “was the most seen brand in the off-trade during the tournament, achieving 7.7% penetration – the highest of any beer brand” Wingfield Digby adds. With the World Cup due in November, Budweiser is poised for growth yet again. It will launch limited-edition packaging and provide retailers “with a range of PoS to help them drive excitement in store”.

5 (5)

Foster’s

Sales: £335m

Growth: –22.6%

The lager from down under has suffered the second-greatest absolute decline of the year, losing £97.6m and shifting 48.8 million fewer litres. Only fellow Heineken UK brand Strongbow (9) has lost more. It’s a far cry from the £31.7m gain Foster’s achieved in last year’s report thanks to shoppers stockpiling the amber nectar.

“Shoppers were making fewer trips but increasing their basket sizes during the pandemic, meaning larger multipacks picked up a greater percentage of spend,” says Heineken UK category & commercial director Alexander Wilson.

“However, since shoppers began reverting back to previous habits of making smaller but more frequent shops, we are seeing smaller multipacks – such as four-can packs – growing their share of spend over the first few months of 2022.”

Wilson’s explanation about multipacks is crucial. The big four currently stock just three Foster’s SKUs – 440ml cans in packs of four, 10 and 18 – while pricier rivals benefit from wider ranges.

Stella (1), for example, has 11 SKUs in Tesco across cans and bottles, meaning it can meet a greater variety of shopper needs.

Foster’s fortunes, of course, aren’t all down to pack sizes. Cheaper 4% abv lagers such as Foster’s and Carling (6) face stiffening competition from a new breed of premium four-percenters like Heineken Silver (15).

Plus, the lack of a trendy low & no option could further hobble the Australian lager.

Zero-abv lines have been useful money-spinners for everyone from Stella to Peroni (14), but there’s still no sign of an alcohol-free Foster’s being on the cards. (Heineken is close-lipped on the matter.)

Things are equally quiet on the marketing front – hence the old TV still above. The last new ads for Foster’s were in 2019. That’s when Brad and Dan, the brand’s straight-talking Aussies, made a comeback after a four-year hiatus, to offer advice on how to deal with drinkers of “fancy pants” craft beer.

Foster’s performance suggests Brad and Dan are overdue a return. But considering the growing legion of shoppers flocking to brands such as BrewDog (24) and Beavertown (112) it might be advisable to lay off the digs at trendy craft ale.

6 (6)

Carling

Sales: £329.1m

Growth: –19.1%

Carling’s down £77.9m – marking the sixth-greatest loss of any brand in this report and the fourth-largest for any beer.

While it has seen 45 million fewer litres go through tills, owner Molson Coors insists “we are now seeing a natural rebalance as the market returns to normal” after the pandemic. Carling’s volume share of the core lager subcategory in grocery is on the rise, it adds.

The supplier aims to capitalise on that, explains off-trade sales director Kevin Fawell. “We’ve got some exciting activity in the pipeline to drive momentum behind the much-loved Carling brand,” he says, such as a new on-pack promotion offering a chance to win personalised glassware.

With the summer packed with sports, “we expect sales to remain strong” Fawell adds.

7 (8)

Jack Daniel’s

Sales: £311.3m

Growth: –5.9%

 

Despite a £19.5m loss, there’s good reason to back Jack in coming months. As Britain’s bestselling whiskey, Jack Daniel’s will be a key beneficiary of June’s lifting of the 25% import tariff on US goods, enforced in 2018.

“The removal of tariffs on American whiskey and other US exports creates more opportunities for the continued international growth of our American-made products,” claimed Lawson Whiting, president of JD owner Brown-Forman, at the time of the announcement in March.

Not that paying tariffs has deterred it from investing. Two premium whiskeys are due for UK launch later this year, and the brand continues to spend big on ads under its global ‘Make It Count’ campaign, unveiled in 2020.

8 (9)

Hardys

Sales: £302.9m

Growth: +1.1%

In 2021, Hardys was the only wine brand in this report’s top 30 not to pull in double-digit gains, as Brits continued to favour drinking at home.

In a reversal of fortunes, this year it’s the only top 30 wine brand to add any value.

It’s up £3.3m while posher rivals Yellow Tail (10), Barefoot (12) and Casillero del Diablo (17) have all suffered falls in value. Hardys marketing director Tom Smith brands it a “phenomenal performance in a category that’s been declining”.

The cost of living crisis has been one possible driver of sales for the UK’s biggest wine brand, he suggests. During times of economic uncertainty, people engage with brands “that are more trusted and stand for something” Smith claims.

“What we do see and tend to see – and where we’ve had this before in terms of inflation – is, especially within off-trade, consumers revert to safer choices.”

To strengthen its foothold, Hardys has played up the “consistency and quality” of its range in its first “really big above the line” campaign, Smith explains.

The £3m ‘Certainty’ push kicked off in March 2022 with “the message of Hardys being there at the important moments in your life”.

Sales were further buoyed by owner Accolade Wines’ rationalisation of the Hardys range, Smith says. Having had “an incredible number of tiers and sub-brands”, it’s been “honed down to those core tiers” of Stamp, VR and Crest. “You have a clearer architecture,” he adds.

As a result of all this “behaving like the number one brand”, Hardys has shifted an extra 700k litres in the past 12 months – the equivalent of 933.3k regular-sized bottles of wine.

Looking ahead, the brand aims to recruit new, younger shoppers with “exciting NPD”, says Smith.

In April, it unveiled Zero – a three-strong non-alcoholic range made with “cutting-edge” technology to dealcoholise regular wine.

A month later, Hardys brought out a trio of canned wines – Rosé, Chardonnay and Shiraz – to tap the “trend for moderation” as well as making a tipple more convenient for on-the-go occasions and events.

9 (7)

Strongbow

Sales: £285.9m

 

Growth: –25.6%

 

Strongbow’s £98.6m loss is the biggest in this entire report. The cider brand sold 42.8 million fewer litres in grocery.

 

This stark decline is illustrative of cider’s poor fortunes overall in the past 12 months. Every brand in the top 100 – apart from Henry Westons (55) – is in decline, largely due to the return of the on-trade and patchy weather last summer.

 

Strongbow’s hoping to revive sales – in part, at least – by luring young, health-conscious consumers with Strongbow Ultra Dark Fruit. Unveiled in February, it offers just 95 calories per 330ml can, with a moderate 4% abv.

It’s backed by a £12m push that’s “a tongue-in-cheek take on Ultra being the greatest cider of all time” says Alexander Wilson, category & commercial strategy at owner Heineken.

10 (13)

Yellow Tail

Sales: £241.8m

Growth: –7.6%

While down £20m, Yellow Tail sales remain “elevated” compared to pre-pandemic levels, says Kevin Chinn, marketing director at brand owner Casella Family Brands. 

The brand has also grown customer numbers compared with two years ago, he adds.

However, he concedes “frequency and spend per buyer has declined a little recently, which does indeed indicate that the number of occasions to consume wine at home has naturally reverted to near pre-pandemic levels now the on-trade has reopened”.

Yellow Tail’s focus now is on luring younger shoppers with blended wines, Chinn explains. They include Jammy Rosé Roo – a rosé interpretation of its popular red blend Jammy Red Roo – which has rolled into Tesco and Morrisons.

11 (10)

San Miguel

Sales: £241.2m

 

Growth: –17.7%

 

San Miguel has shed £52m, more than half of last year’s gains. It means the Spanish lager brand has lost its place in the top 10, having sold 21.6 million fewer litres in grocery.

 

That’s in stark contrast to last year, when it pulled in an extra £98.9m – the biggest gain of any beer brand and the second-largest in the top 100.

 

Still, it’s at least up on 2019. And the on-trend, alcohol-free 0.0% variant has managed to beat last year’s levels – albeit by a modest £319.6k.

 

Another quantum of solace for San Miguel is that it’s not alone in its woes. Every beer brand in the top 100 has taken a sales tumble in grocery as hospitality recovered from Covid – with the exception of Staropramen (83).

 

Owner Carlsberg has not commented on San Miguel’s performance, but it’s clearly making efforts to return value.

 

The brewer last year gave it a new look “to further elevate the consumer experience”.

 

Plus, San Miguel’s annual riverside pop-up recently reopened at Somerset House, London. The activation will run until October, seeing the brand host “live sundowner sets” that offer visitors “the opportunity to escape to an Ibizan experience” it says.

 

The pop-up aims to drive awareness of its “diverse portfolio” – serving up Especial, 0.0% and Gluten Free variants, plus a cocktail called San Miguel Sundown Spritz.

 

12 (11)

Barefoot

Sales: £239.7m

 

Growth: –16.7%

 

Barefoot’s £48m loss is the biggest of any wine in this report. Volumes are down 18.1%, cushioned only slightly by an average price rise of 3%. It’s now hoping to lure shoppers with a new Buttery Chardonnay.

 

13 (12)

Corona

Sales: £223.8m

 

Growth: –17.8%

 

Somewhat ironically, Corona has come out of the pandemic in good shape. The lager’s “popularity has only grown, with sales increasing by 22.5% versus pre-pandemic levels” says Budweiser Brewing Group.

 

14 (16)

Peroni

Sales: £220.4m

 

Growth: –2.7%

 

The pandemic accelerated the premiumisation of drink choices at home, says Peroni owner Asahi UK. That’s borne out by the brand losing just £6.1m – the third-best performance of any lager.

15 (15)

Heineken

Sales: £218.5m

 

Growth: –9.0%

 

Heineken has seen £21.6m knocked off its £76.9m growth of last year. That was down to its core 5% abv offer, while 0.0% and new 4% abv Silver delivered respective gains of £1.8m and £1.3m.

 

16 (14)

The Famous Grouse

Sales: £213.8m

 

Growth: –11.6%

 

Down £28.1m, The Famous Grouse is doing its best to cash in on the trend for premium spirits, adding pricier whiskies The Famous One (with a sweeter taste than the brand’s core offer) and Sherry Cask Finish.

 

 

17 (20)

Casillero del Diablo

Sales: £201.8m

 

Growth: –3.6%

 

Casillero’s £7.6m decline is paltry compared to its £40.7m gain reported in 2021. In March, it added Chilean Reserva Especial Sauvignon Blanc to tap demand for alternatives to scarce Kiwi sauvignon blanc.

18 (19)

McGuigan

Sales: £200.1m

 

Growth: –4.7%

 

The rise of blended red wines from the likes of 19 Crimes (34) and Jam Shed (49) hasn’t gone unnoticed by McGuigan. It’s  hoping to get in on the action with Red Velvet Reserve, rolled out to Sainsbury’s in February.

19 (21)

Birra Moretti

Sales: £189.3m

 

Growth: –5.0%

 

Having lost £9.9m, Birra Moretti has added a 4x440ml format to target outdoor occasions over summer. It’s also launched a promotion with Tesco offering the chance to win seven nights in an Italian villa.

20 (22)

Captain Morgan

Sales: £188.2m

 

Growth: +1.3%

 

The Captain’s grown £2.5m in grocery. Lauren Priestley, Diageo off-trade category development boss, says “rum-based spirits have proven themselves as a great all-year-round option”.

 

21 (17)

Kopparberg

Sales: £186m

 

Growth: –17.5%

 

This year’s £39.5m loss is simply sales settling back from the highs of the sun-kissed first lockdown, Kopparberg insists. Performance is still positive compared with pre-pandemic, the brand adds.

 

22 (18)

Carlsberg

Sales: £183.8m

 

Growth: –14.4%

 

Carlsberg lost £30.9m as Brits returned to pubs. Despite this “re-balancing” of channels, the brand has “maintained a strong relative position within the category” insists head of marketing Sam Johnson.

 

23 (25)

Baileys

Sales: £178m

 

Growth: +3.9%

 

Baileys has grown £6.7m, by virtue of being “well-suited to a range of celebratory occasions,” says Diageo off-trade category development head Lauren Priestley. NPD such as an Apple Pie variant also played a part.

24 (26)

BrewDog

Sales: £160.6m

 

Growth: –2.9%

 

Five years after joining the top 100, BrewDog has suffered its first decline. Sales have slipped £4.8m. Still, Lost Lager helped keep the controversial brewer’s loss to a minimum by nearly doubling in value to £28.2m.

25 (23)

Glen’s

Sales: £160.5m

 

Growth: –11.1%

 

Scottish Glen’s has remained on shelves as Russian vodkas have been delisted. While the c-store favourite shed £20m and sold 1.2 million fewer litres in grocery as hospitality reopened, it’s still up £17.6m on 2019.

26 (24)

Thatchers

Sales: £145.3m

 

Growth: –17.7%

 

A loss of £31.3m is the result of a “natural total market correction” triggered by the reopening of hospitality, Thatchers says. To lure younger drinkers, the cider brand has added “on trend” Blood Orange.

27 (28)

Guinness

Sales: £144.6m

Growth: –11.9%

Guinness 0.0 didn’t get off to a good start. Launched in November 2020, the alcohol-free brew was recalled within weeks due what owner Diageo called “microbiological contamination”. It didn’t reappear until August 2021.

Skip to today, and Guinness 0.0 is worth £4.8m – the brand’s biggest growth story of the year in absolute terms.

“Guinness 0.0 is perfectly placed to tap increasing demand for high-quality and great tasting no and lower-alcohol choices,” says Lauren Priestley, Diageo head of off-trade category development.

While the brand’s 0% abv option has cashed in on the moderation trend, its biggest-sellling line, Draught, has seen value drop 13.4% to £111.2m. That still leaves it £34.9m above the £76.2m reported in 2019. So, it’s not surprising Diageo is optimistic for the brand’s future.

“We feel that this is a really exciting time for Guinness Draught and the wider Guinness portfolio,” says Priestley. She points to Foreign Extra Stout’s makeover in September 2021 and this April’s launch of Cold Brew Coffee Beer as key moves that give “existing Guinness drinkers a new way to enjoy the stout, and also recruit new adult drinkers to the brand”.

Expect more Guinness varieties and formats soon – as well as a £73m Guinness microbrewery and ‘culture hub’ at Old Brewer’s Yard in Covent Garden, London.

28 (27)

Kronenbourg

Sales: £144m

Growth: –12.9%

The reopening of pubs has seen Kronenbourg suffer the same fortunes as Stella Artois (1) and Heineken (15). It’s down £21.2m and 7.8 million litres. It re-ran its ‘Alsace-tian’ ads in January to keep awareness up.

29 (30)

Bacardí

Sales: £134.6m

 

Growth: –11.6%

 

Bacardí is banking on mixology to return growth after a £17.7m slump. It’s added limited-edition Fruity Frozen Cocktail Kits and supplied rum for a co-branded daiquiri with Tails, a ready-mixed cocktail brand.

 

30 (31)

I Heart

Sales: £129.3m

 

Growth: –4.5%

 

Pitched as “fun-loving and accessible”, I Heart has lost £6.1m in spite of being 12% cheaper per litre on average than close rivals Freixenet (33) and 19 Crimes (34) – both of which are in strong growth.

 

31 (32)

Campo Viejo

Sales: £124.8m

 

Growth: –6.4%

 

Campo Viejo remains way ahead of pre-pandemic sales – it was worth £98.3m in 2019’s report. The wine has benefited from shoppers “turning to familiar, quality and trusted brands” it says.

 

32 (36)

Bell’s

Sales: £120.1m

 

Growth: –5.5%

 

Bell’s owner Diageo aims to return growth via a new-look bottle and “an improved taste that we’re sure will be cherished by drinkers for years to come”, honouring its heritage “while also being adaptable”.

33 (40)

Freixenet

Sales: £114.5m

 

Growth: +10.3%

 

Freixenet’s rise continues. The return of large in-person gatherings helped the buoyant brand add £10.7m, says head of marketing Lucy Auld.

 

Over the past year “everyone was really looking for reasons to celebrate” and make get-togethers “feel special”, she says. While Brits have been up for a party, they’ve also been keen to save a few quid as inflation bites, Auld suggests. That’s driven trading down from champagnes such as Moët & Chandon (64) and Veuve Clicquot (91) to Freixenet’s prosecco and cava – which boast an “accessible price point”.

 

In its role as an affordable option for special occasions, Freixenet partnered with Ferrero on activations in Sainsbury’s in the run-up to Mother’s Day 2022.

 

It came after Freixenet launched a TV ad at the end of 2020, imagining occasions when Brits would be able to celebrate together again. It then returned to events in 2021, partnering with Pub in the Park, Christmas at Kew and London in the Sky.

 

On the product side, Freixenet has relaunched its Rose Cava with a “refreshed liquid” and new-look pack, added sauvignon blanc and rioja variants to its still wines, and revamped its alcohol-free offer – which is “not just for the people who are completely abstaining from alcohol” the brand insists.

 

34 (53)

19 Crimes

Sales: £114.1m

 

Growth: +42.4%

 

The fastest growing brand in the top 100, 19 Crimes has gained an extra £34m. The brand continues to “push against category norms” claims Ben Blake, EMEA head of marketing at owner Treasury Wine Estates.

 

35 (29)

Blossom Hill

Sales: £113.6m

 

Growth: –28.8%

 

California’s Blossom Hill lost £46m largely because it over-trades in impulse – a channel declining faster than the overall market, it claims. Plus, supply challenges in the US meant it was unable offer some SKUs.

 

36 (33)

Isla Negra

Sales: £108.5m

 

Growth: –17.7%

 

New world wines have suffered a torrid 12 months – and Chilean Isla Negra is no exception. It’s lost £23.4m and volumes have fallen 17.8%, as average price has stayed more or less flat.

 

37 (37)

Russian Standard

Sales: £96.1m

 

Growth: –23.6%

 

Russian Standard’s £29.7m loss is the fourth-biggest of any spirits brand. And this data only captures the initial impact of delistings from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Co-op due to the Ukraine war.

 

38 (38)

Absolut

Sales: £95.5m

 

Growth: –10.6%

 

Absolut plans to this year reformulate its vodka range to improve flavours. It will also roll out a new bottle made with recycled glass, following a well-publicised trial of paper bottles last autumn.

 

 

39 (43)

Trivento

Sales: £94.4m

 

Growth: –5.5%

 

Trivento has lost £5.5m on volumes down 7.9%. But the brand is still outperforming a declining wine market, it insists, with its ongoing partnership with Channel 5 helping to increase penetration.

40 (46)

Whyte & Mackay

Sales: £94m

 

Growth: +2.1%

 

Like rival blended whiskies Johnnie Walker (70) and Haig Club (97), Whyte & Mackay has tapped the growing taste for affordable scotch. Now matured in sustainable Scottish oak, it’s grown volumes by 3.6%.

 

41 (49)

Tanqueray

Sales: £90.6m

 

Growth: +1.3%

 

The gin boom’s not over for Tanqueray. As rivals slumped, it shifted an extra 200k litres. That’s thanks to demand for posher spirits, which the brand satisfied via its “wide variety of choices” says owner Diageo.

 

42 (45)

Desperados

Sales: £90.3m

 

Growth: –4.5%

 

Desperados avoided the double-digit losses of several rival lagers but still shed £4.3m. Owner Heineken expects an uptick in the summer, given the tequila-flavoured brand is an “ideal summer refreshment”.

 

 

43 (34)

Bombay

Sales: £86.6m

 

Growth: –34.2%

 

Bombay has lost £45.1m, having sold 2.2 million fewer litres. The gin brand’s now banking on lemon flavours to recoup value. It added Premier Cru Murcian Lemon in October, followed in April by Citron Pressé.

 

 

44 (58)

JJ Whitley

Sales: £84.6m

 

Growth: +25.1%

 

JJ Whitley cleaned up this year, pulling in an extra £17m – the second-biggest gain for any spirit in this report, after rival vodka brand Smirnoff (2).

 

“Flavoured vodka has seen strong growth over the past year, which we have certainly seen reflected in the growth of our JJ Whitley range,” says James Stocker, marketing director at owner Halewood Artisanal Spirits.

 

The brand is “able to provide shoppers with a quality, award-winning liquid at a really accessible price point, which has been a key part of its success” he adds.

 

Innovation has been crucial for sales, “bringing our eye-catching foil bottles and brightly coloured flavoured liquids to appeal to more adventurous and experimental drinkers”. Take its Rose and Blackcurrant variants, which rolled out in early 2022.

 

Marketing has played a part in JJ Whitley’s success, too. Its first major ATL campaign last summer, the £3.5m ‘Russian Spirit, British Heart’, saw the brand make its TV debut.

 

That was, of course, several months before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which sparked a revolt against Russian goods and led to the likes of Russian Standard (37) being delisted by supermarkets.

 

In response, the “remarkably Russian” JJ Whitley quickly repositioned itself as “quintessentially British”, announcing plans to move production to facilities in the UK.

 

 

45 (35)

Echo Falls

Sales: £84.3m

 

Growth: –35.7%

 

Echo Falls sales have plunged £46.9m. “Global shipping and domestic truck driver issues have impacted our usual supply chain processes in the past 18 months,” explains owner Accolade Wines.

 

 

46 (39)

Coors

Sales: £81.6m

 

Growth: –21.5%

 

Coors has shed £22.4m in the wake of Covid. In response, it has kicked off a multimillion-pound push – which Molson Coors off-trade sales director Kevin Fawell says is already driving up volume sales.

 

 

47 (44)

Tennent’s

Sales: £80.8m

 

Growth: –17.6%

 

Shoppers bought 8.3 million fewer litres of Tennent’s as pubs reopened. The lager, which axed plastic rings in early 2021, added a ‘enjoy sustainably’ message to its cans in November to encourage recycling.

 

 

48 (41)

Villa Maria

Sales: £76.6m

 

Growth: –25.9%

 

As New Zealand’s grape harvest shrank, Kiwi brand Villa Maria’s value fell £26.8m. That’s after rolling out its first organic range, Earth Garden, in April 2021 and unveiling new-look packaging in September.

 

 

49 (81)

Jam Shed

Sales: £75.6m

 

Growth: +71.2%

 

The second-fastest growing brand in the top 100, Jam Shed  has made great gains with “a pack that really stands out” and a “slightly sweeter” approach to vino, says Accolade Wines marketing director Tom Smith.

 

 

50 (47)

Wolf Blass

Sales: £73.8m

 

Growth: –18.3%

 

Wolf Blass shed £16.6m due to market decline and the axing of its Gold Label tier, says Treasury Wine Estates. The brand launched a TV push in March and a partnership with Secret Escapes offering £1m in prizes.

 

 

51 (42)

Gallo Family Vineyards

Sales: £71.1m

 

Growth: –30.0%

 

Californian wine giant Gallo has suffered a £30.5m loss. It’s the fifth-biggest decline of any wine brand in this report, driven by a 30.4% fall in volumes. That’s 4.1 million fewer litres through the tills.

 

In fairness to Gallo, all Californian wine brands in the top 100 have struggled. Indeed, Barefoot (12) and Blossom Hill (35) have fallen faster than Gallo in absolute terms.

 

We can surmise this was partly down to supply issues in California this year, such as a bottle shortage, which was exacerbated by drought and fires. This resulted in both reduced availability and increased costs.

 

However, Gallo is staying tight-lipped about the exact degree to which the travails in its home state affected UK performance.

 

But it’s happy to discuss plans to boost its presence in wholesale and convenience, with the rollout of £6.49 PMPs for its White Zinfandel and White Grenache lines.

 

The move will “help price consistency across the market for customers” and create standout on-shelf, it claims.

 

E&J Gallo UK & Ireland sales director Mark Stammers adds: “With 85% of rosé sold in the UK priced under £7, it’s important to highlight our approachable price point to both retailers and consumers. This will allow our customers to increase their rotation as well as boost their bottom line.”

 

 

52 (50)

Oyster Bay

Sales: £71.0m

 

Growth: –18.5%

 

Oyster Bay is down £16.1m, having sold 1.8 million fewer litres. Still, its decline is slower than rival Kiwi wines Mud House (78) and Brancott Estate (68), which were hit by New Zealand’s poor grape harvest.

 

 

53 (55)

Jameson

Sales: £69.9m

 

Growth: –1.9%

 

The Irish whiskey brand has kept losses to a minimum in a year that saw the launch of an orange-flavoured 30% abv variant. That was followed by ‘Widen the Circle’, a push starring comedian Aisling Bea.

 

 

54 (54)

Estrella Damm

Sales: £67.3m

 

Growth: –6.9%

 

Despite a £5m decline and selling 1.3 million fewer litres, Estrella Damm still holds a “strong relative position” in the premium world beer market, insists owner Carlsberg, as rivals fall at a faster rate.

 

 

55 (61)

Henry Westons

Sales: £66.8m

 

Growth: +4.0%

 

Here’s the only cider brand to add value. As rivals “fell into decline… Westons continued to grow – and propel the crafted cider segment along with it” says business development head Darryl Hinksman.

 

 

56 (48)

John Smith’s

Sales: £66.3m

 

Growth: –26.2%

 

John Smith’s has been battered by the success of Guinness and craft beer in recent years. The bitter brand’s latest £23.5m loss – after selling 11.4 million fewer litres – leaves it just £2.2m above its value in 2019’s report.

 

 

57 (57)

Wairau Cove

Sales: £62.3m

 

Growth: –10.8%

 

Wairau Cove’s lost £7.5m. Its jump in average price of nearly 10% reflects higher shipping costs, a shift towards smaller formats and extreme frosts in New Zealand, which hit yields of sauvignon blanc grapes.

 

 

58 (59)

Courvoisier

Sales: £60.7m

 

Growth: –8.5%

 

In February, Courvoisier unveiled a new bottle design harking back to the 1800s. That coincided with the brandy maker launching ‘We Found Joy’, an immersive experience created by artist Yinka Ilori.

 

 

59 (51)

Whitley Neill

Sales: £59.6m

 

Growth: –29.3%

 

After years of growth, Whitley Neill has lost £24.7m. Owner Halewood says keeping shoppers engaged with NPD will be “crucial for growth”. Hence April’s launch of Pineapple Gin and Peach Gin.

 

 

60 (63)

Three Barrels

Sales: £59.5m

 

Growth: –5.5%

 

Having seen volumes fall 3.4%, Britain’s second-biggest brandy is worth £3.4m less than last year. Nevertheless, Three Barrels is just £1.2m behind its faster-falling (and considerably pricier) rival Courvoisier (58).

 

 

61 (67)

Malibu

Sales: £56.2m

 

Growth: –1.9%

 

Malibu’s sales barely wobbled despite hospitality reopening. Having added a watermelon variant in liqueur and RTD formats last summer, the rum brand will this year roll out a global brand refresh.

 

 

62 (62)

WKD

Sales: £54.6m

 

Growth: –14.5%

 

Britain’s biggest alcopop is pinning its hopes on 7% abv energy drink WKD X to pep up performance after sales slumped £9.3m. Launched in May, it packs 150mg of caffeine per 500ml can.

 

 

63 (66)

Hen

Sales: £51.2m

 

Growth: –13.3%

 

In a bid to broaden its fanbase, Hen’s latest aminated ad sees mascot Henry the Fox urging Brits to “try everything once” – from “a Taiwanese meat cleaver massage” to a “refreshing” pint of Old Speckled ale.

 

 

64 (68)

Moët & Chandon

Sales: £51.1m

 

Growth: –10.7%

 

The average price per litre of Moët & Chandon has risen 15% in grocery. That means its value has fallen slower than its volumes – which have dived 22% as drinkers of fizz have traded down from champers.

 

 

65 (72)

Canti

Sales: £50.1m

 

Growth: –0.3%

 

Italian wine maker Canti’s value has stayed almost flat despite the resurgence of the on-trade. But that’s entirely thanks to a 5.7% rise in average price per litre – the brand’s volume sales have dipped 3%.

 

 

66 (64)

Magners

Sales: £49.8m

 

Growth: –20.3%

 

A £12.7m loss has pushed Magners further down the rankings. A recent on-pack promotion offering the chance to win “staycation” prizes is part of owner C&C’s plan to “win more customers”.

 

 

67 (60)

Amstel

Sales: £45m

 

Growth: –30.2%

 

Amstel shed £19.5m as the reopening of hospitality hammered grocery sales. Lack of interest in its low-calorie 66 lager – axed in September after less than two years – did the brand no favours either.

 

 

68 (52)

Brancott Estate

Sales: £44.4m

 

Growth: –46.8%

 

In May 2021, brand owner Pernod Ricard warned it would be unable to meet demand for sauvignon blanc after extreme spring frost destroyed 30% of its grape crop. Brancott Estate has since seen £39.1m wiped out.

 

 

69 (77)

Disaronno

Sales: £43.6m

 

Growth: –3.8%

 

After a lockdown-driven gain of £16.2m last year, Disaronno’s down a mere £1.7m. That’s thanks in part to continued spend on Fellini-esque TV advertising with a ‘The Endless Dolce Vita’ strapline.

 

 

70 (118)

Johnnie Walker

Sales: £43.1m

Growth: +64.8%

In October 2021, Prince Charles officially opened the 71,500 sq ft Johnnie Walker Princes Street centre – “the most eagerly anticipated new visitor experience in Scotland last year” according to Lauren Priestley, head of off-trade category development at brand owner Diageo.

Offering to take visitors “on an immersive journey through the brand’s 200-year history”, the new attraction is just one instance of Johnnie Walker going “from strength to strength” in the past 12 months, Priestley says.

 

The whisky brand also launched the latest iteration of its ‘Keep Walking’ campaign, which has “inspired people around the world with a message of progress and positivity for more than 20 years” she adds.

“The message behind this latest iconic campaign is resonating as strongly now as it ever has.”

That would seem to be the case given JW’s £16.9m gain in grocery – largely driven by its entry-level Red Label – which has sent it smashing into the top 100.

“Johnnie Walker appeals to those shoppers who are looking to treat themselves with aspirational drink choices,” Priestley explains.

It’s also looking to appeal to sustainably minded shoppers, being among the brands in Diageo’s new programme to phase out the use of 183 million cardboard gifting boxes from its blended scotch portfolio.

71 (88)

Buckfast

Sales: £41.8m

Growth: +4.9%

Buckfast’s up £2m, having grown volumes by 3.2%. That’s despite distributor J Chandler & Co warning in April 2021 of slowing sales momentum due to the easing of lockdown restrictions.

72 (111)

La Vieille Ferme

Sales: £41.3m

Growth: +46.6%

As makers of new world wine were hobbled by soaring shipping costs and congestion at ports, France’s La Vieille Ferme cashed in. It’s added £28.1m by growing distribution of its affordable wines.

73 (84)

The Ned

Sales: £41m

Growth: –3.8%

The Ned – the second-priciest wine in this year’s ranking – is in good shape. The Kiwi brand lost just £1.6m and sold 400k fewer litres, despite wider challenges in New Zealand wine dampening rivals’ sales.

 

74 (74)

Bud Light

Sales: £40.9m

Growth: –17.6%

Despite the Three Lions getting to the Euros final last summer, the official beer of the England men’s football team has lost £8.8m. A bright spot is the brand’s nascent seltzers, which have delivered £1.4m growth.

 

75 (73)

Jim Beam

Sales: £40.9m

Growth: –18.3%

Jim Beam’s peach-flavoured variant added £1.4m – but it wasn’t nearly enough to offset heavy losses elsewhere in the range. The core bourbon lost 16.4%, Red Stag is down 13.9% and Honey shed 41.9% of value.

76 (56)

Grant’s

Sales: £40.8m

Growth: –42.3%

Grant’s has suffered the greatest loss of any whisky brand in the top 100, shedding £29.9m and 1.7 million litres. In May, it added its first flavoured line – Summer Orange – in a bid to resurrect sales.

77 (83)

Calvet

Sales: £40.4m

Growth: –5.7%

Calvet’s decline is slower than many rivals, despite France’s lowest grape harvest in over 50 years – leading to “substantially lower volumes of wine being available” in 2021, according to Mark Kears, MD at owner GCF.

 

78 (69)

Mud House

Sales: £39.9m

Growth: –30.1%

Mud House’s £17.2m decline is emblematic of the challenges in New Zealand wine, which have hurt sales of fellow Kiwi brands Villa Maria (48) and Brancott Estate (68).

The antipodean country’s total grape harvest in 2021 was 19% smaller than the previous year, according to New Zealand Winegrowers data.

At the same time, “supply chain and shipping issues impacted on distribution of Mud House” says Tom Smith, Europe marketing director at owner Accolade Wines.

To ease the strain, Accolade has taken Mud House multi-origin, launching two Chilean wines – Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé – last autumn.

The sauvignon has already racked up £3.7m over the year to date, making it “the biggest innovation in wine in 2022” according to Accolade.

Says Smith: “As one of the biggest wine suppliers to Europe, we have the ability to tap into our geographic networks and premium global brand portfolio, allowing us to offer exciting new products to customers and credible alternatives to wine drinkers.”

Accolade has also ramped up Mud House’s marketing to stem the decline, mounting a ‘Taste the Adventure’ push and refreshing the brand’s packaging to reflect the new, “adventurous” positioning.

A further campaign will follow in the run-up to Christmas.

 

79 (85)

Martini

Sales: £39.3m

Growth: –6.8%

The temperance trend helped grow the value of non-alcoholic Vibrante by 133.4% – albeit from a small base. Martini’s core vermouth, however, lost £2.6m – representing the bulk of the brand’s £2.9m decline.

 

80 (79)

Chekov

Sales: £39.2m

Growth: –12.3%

Chekov’s performance is similar to that of main rival Glen’s (25), having lost £5.5m and sold 300k fewer litres. At least it’s ducked the backlash against Russian voddy brands, as seen by the likes of Russian Standard (37).

 

81 (193)

Refined & Elegant

Sales: £38.5m

Growth: +170.5%

Asda-exclusive boxed wine brand Refined & Elegant has stormed into the top 100 with a £23.4m gain. Its affordability has been key to its success: average price per litre is just £5.66, nearly half that of rivals.

 

82 (65)

Lindeman’s

Sales: £38.4m

Growth: –37.6%

Lindeman’s loss is the second-largest of any wine brand in the top 100, sending it plummeting down the rankings. Volumes fell even faster, at 39.6%, as Lindeman’s average price per litre rose 2.6%.

 

83 (98)

Staropramen

Sales: £38.3m

Growth: +17.6%

Staropramen is the only beer brand in growth in the top 100. It’s added £5.7m on volumes up 15.9%, having benefited from a major push and demand for “premium world lagers” says owner Molson Coors. 

 

84 (82)

Southern Comfort

Sales: £37.8m

Growth: –12.5%

A 4.2% fall in average price and 9.7% slump in volumes saw Southern Comfort lose £5.4m. A limited-edition pack hit shelves in January to mark Mardi Gras in New Orleans, designed by British artist Jade Pearl.

85 (75)

Hobgoblin

Sales: £37.2m

Growth: –22.6%

Hobgoblin has lost £10.9m – a large part of the £13.3m gain seen in last year’s report – as 4.1 million fewer litres of its ale went through tills.

While the numbers may seem cause for concern, they must be considered in the context of the past two years, insists Miranda Osborne, director of marketing at owner Carlsberg Marston’s.

“With the impact of closures and restrictions still being felt last year in the on-trade as a result of the pandemic, we saw a huge movement of ale drinkers into the off-trade,” she points out.

“Our off-trade sales saw a massive boost from this switch in 2020, which was even more pronounced due to competitor shortages.”

This year’s value decline simply represents a “re-balancing” of sales as drinkers became “more comfortable returning to their favourite pubs” Osborne says.

Hobgoblin is outperforming the premium ale segment, she adds, boding well for a recovery in grocery. “We’re also seeing our customers premiumising their drinking choices, with annual sales of Hobgoblin IPA up by 33% since April 2020.”

Plus, the brand’s owner has “exciting plans” to drive off-trade sales, including an out-of-home campaign and a national supermarket gift promotion in autumn – “which will make our new, bespoke pint glasses available for shoppers to take home”.

 

86 (80)

Tyskie

Sales: £37.1m

Growth: –16.7%

The Polish lager’s volume sales are down 17.8%. But owner Asahi UK insists that is “less than the decline seen in total lager and, in some instances, Tyskie is in fact gaining volume share of total lager”.

 

87 (97)

Lanson

Sales: £36.3m

Growth: +10.7%

Lanson is champagne’s star by some distance. Average price has helped. At £37.18 per litre, it’s considerably cheaper than rivals Moët & Chandon (64) and Veuve Clicquot (91) – both of which are in value decline.

 

88 (76)

Sol

Sales: £36.3m

Growth: –23.0%

Mexican-style lager looks to be going out of fashion. Sales of Corona (13) and Desperados (42) have dived – but not as fast as Sol in percentage terms. The Heineken brand’s decline equates to £10.8m.

 

89 (92)

Torres

Sales: £36.2m

Growth: +1.2%

Torres has added £400k, no doubt helped by a 4.5% fall in average price. In the past year, owner Familia Torres has focused on sustainability with a system to capture and reuse CO2 from wine fermentation.

 

90 (90)

Sharp’s

Sales: £35.9m

Growth: –6.0%

An 8.1% drop in average price drove a £2.3m dip in Sharp’s sales. Owner Molson Coors is confident it can boost value, having recently launched a push for Doom Bar and added a 10-can multipack to its lineup.

 

91 (86)

Veuve Cliquot

Sales: £35.1m

Growth: –16.7%

Like Moët (64), Veuve Cliquot could not escape champers’ decline as shoppers switched to less expensive sparkling wines. Volumes fell 26.8% as shoppers baulked at the 13.9% rise in average price per litre.

 

92 (71)

Beck’s

Sales: £34.9m

Growth: –34.7%

Once the dominant force in alcohol-free lager, Beck’s Blue is now under ever-growing pressure from rival brews by the likes of Heineken (15) and BrewDog (24), as well as trendy newcomers such as Lucky Saint and Infinite Session.

The 0% abv Blue has lost £4.5m – due partly to a poor performance in Dry January 2022, when sales dropped 24.8% compared with the same month in 2021 [NielsenIQ 4 w/e 29 January 2022].

Still, Blue isn’t the only Beck’s line in trouble. The core Bier has lost £14.1m in grocery – accounting for the bulk of the brand’s £18.5m decline – as Brits returned in droves to pubs and bars. Overall, Beck’s has suffered a volume decline of 33.7% – the equivalent of 7.9 million litres.

The largest opportunity to return value in coming months – beyond the possibility of a hot summer – is the World Cup, which will take place in the run-up to Christmas. However, owner Budweiser Brewing Group typically focuses on its bigger beer brands Stella (1) and Budweiser (4) for activations and sponsorships during big-ticket sports events.

A further cloud over the future of Beck’s is the strike that kicked off this month at BBG’s Samlesbury site. Union GMB has warned production could be affected, especially if the action is ramped up.

All in all, the beer’s top 100 placing is looking precarious.

 

93 (87)

Oxford Landing

Sales: £33.8m

Growth: –15.7%

Oxford Landing’s slide down the ranking is due in part to rival wine brands La Vieille Ferme (72) and Refined & Elegant (81) growing to make their top 100 debuts. It shed £6.3m as volumes fell 14.9%.

 

94 (78)

Kumala

Sales: £33.5m

Growth: –25.3%

Kumala’s £11.3m loss is “a category issue”, says Tom Smith, European marketing director at owner Accolade Wines, caused by “an underlying decline in South African wine as a whole”.

 

95 (70)

Greenall’s

Sales: £32.4m

Growth: –41.4%

Greenall’s is this year’s fastest-falling gin and third-fastest declining brand overall. Having lost £22.9m, it’s hoping to return to growth with the addition of a Tropical Fruits variant and a Pub in the Park partnership.

96 (102)

Taittinger

Sales: £30.3m

Growth: +2.2%

Taittinger’s modest £700k gain is the second-biggest among the top 100’s champagne brands –Lanson (87) being the largest. Growth was entirely due to a 9.7% increase in average price; volumes are down 7.1%.

 

97 (132)

Haig Club

Sales: £30.0m

Growth: +28.9%

Trendy Mediterranean Orange helped Haig Club break into the top 100, says owner Diageo. Added in April 2021, it’s an “accessible citrus option for novice whisky drinkers as well as connoisseurs”.

 

98 (112)

Glenfiddich

Sales: £29.5m

Growth: +5.4%

Glenfiddich has added £1.5m – and it’s been busy. Not only has it converted delivery trucks to run on biogas, it has also launched an NFT and added an apple-flavoured liqueur to its Experimental series.

 

99 (107)

Jägermeister

Sales: £28.9m

Growth: +0.9%

Football fans watching the Euros at home last summer helped keep sales in the black, says owner Mast-Jägermeister. Plus, the brand added a trendy Cold Brew Coffee variant to lure new shoppers.

 

100 (108)

The Kraken

Sales: £28.9m

Growth: +0.9%

The Kraken has grown £268.5k on volumes up 0.8%. Those modest gains were enough to finally secure a top 100 slot for the spirits brand – which in March added Black Roast, its debut in flavoured bottled rum.