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Drizly sees mezcal sales soar 600% in 2020
By Melita KielyAlcohol e-commerce platform Drizly reported a 600% spike in mezcal sales last year, with interest particularly high among younger legal-drinking-age adults.
According to Drizly, in the 52 weeks ending 26 December 2020, the company’s mezcal sales were up 600% year over year.
Drizly attributed this growth to increased demand among 28- to 34-year-olds, the age group that accounted for Drizly’s largest share of sales in the 12-month period (37.8%).
The company’s most popular markets for mezcal in the US were Los Angeles, New York City, Washington DC, San Francisco, Oakland in California and Austin, Texas.
Mezcal sales during the same period in Nielsen-measured off-trade channels rose 86% by value and 69% by volume, according to Drizly’s data and insights platform, Bev Alc Insights.
A survey conducted by the 2020 Bev Alc Insights Retail Report found 39% of retailer respondents plan to stock more mezcal in the next few years.
Liz Paquette, Drizly’s head of consumer insights, said: “Though mezcal is still a relatively small segment of the liquor category, accounting for just over 1% share of Drizly’s liquor sales in the last 12 months, it is among the fastest-growing categories on our platform, surpassing the growth rate of Tequila.
“It’s certainly a category for retailers to watch in the coming months and years.”
Drizly’s top-selling mezcal brands during the 12-month period were Del Maguey Vida, Ilegal Joven, Casamigos Joven, Dos Hombres Joven and El Silencio Espadin.
The company’s fastest-growing mezcals were Wahaka Madre Cuishe, Yuu Baal Joven Pechuga, Fidencio Joven Clásico, Gracias A Dios Gin and Alipus Santa Ana del Rio.
Paquette added: “Over the past 12 months, the number of mezcal SKUs available in Drizly’s catalogue has grown 86%.
“In 2021, as the category continues to surge, we expect to see new brands emerge, as well as Tequila brands foraying into mezcal, as we’ve been seeing in recent years.”