US ultra-premium Tequila growth hits 15.5%

The ultra-premium Tequila market continues its emphatic US growth, with sales up 15.5% year-on-year, according to figures from analyst Nielsen.

The Margarita was named the US’ favourite cocktail as the ultra-premium Tequila segment continues to grow

While the ultra-premium end of the market is growing “significantly faster” than Tequila in total, the entire category still posted year-on-year growth of 9.1% for the 52 weeks to 18 June 2016.

According to the analyst, growth in the US Hispanic population is contributing to the category’s growth. There are currently 37 million Hispanics of legal drinking age in the US, set to increase to 40 million by 2019.

In the on-premise the whole category saw volumes lift 7.3% year-on-year for the moving annual total (MAT) to 26 March, outpacing vodka, whiskey and rum.

Consumers’ taste for the spirit was underlined in the Nielsen CGA Consumer Survey, released in April 2016, which found 44% of cocktail consumers named Tequila as their top case spirit.

In the same survey, the Margarita was voted the top cocktail in the US – 60% of respondents said they would drink one when at a bar or a restaurant.

Nielsen released the data in the run-up to National Tequila Day, marked on 24 July in the US.

One brand advancing the Tequila charge is Patrón, which last month was named Tequila Brand Champion 2016.