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Top 10
SB’s most-read stories in June
From a gin brand launched by a real-life Barbie, to a limited edition bottle design that celebrates British-Asian culture, last month’s most-read stories have all bases covered.
In the month that saw us publish our annual Brand Champions report, our readers were keen to delve deep into the figures of the world’s biggest spirits brands. While the digital version of our supplement magazine was ultimately the most popular feature of The Spirits Business online in June, our online-only round-ups of the biggest-selling brands didn’t come far behind.
Of course, the month wasn’t just about our Brand Champions report, with acquisitions, sustainable launches and lawsuits also capturing our readers’ attention throughout the month.
Keep scrolling to find out which stories were our most-read in June.
10. Brown-Forman sells Finlandia vodka for US$220m
Marking its exit from the vodka category in June, Brown-Forman’s sale of Finlandia Vodka to Coca-Cola’s bottling arm for US$£220 million was the 10th most-read story on SB online last month.
Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (HBC), which has distributed Finlandia for more than 17 years, said the deal ‘enhances its journey towards becoming the leading 24/7 beverage partner’. The purchase also strengthens Coca-Cola HBC’s ‘premium spirits credentials’ and boosts ‘mixability opportunities’ within the non-alcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) category.
9. Margot Robbie debuts Papa Salt gin
Could the launch of Margot Robbie’s debut gin brand have been strategically planned to coincide with the wave of marketing we’ve been seeing for the upcoming release of the new Barbie movie? It would appear so, as while this story first hit our digital pages in mid-May, it really captured the attention of our readers in June, just as the film’s promotion ramped up.
Papa Salt was inspired by the Australian coast, and is described on the brand’s website as an ‘easy-drinking gin that celebrates the subtle taste of native Australian botanicals’. It is currently only distributed in Australia via Iconic Beverages for RRP AU$85 (US$56.86).
8. Absolut launches paper bottle in Tesco
Pernod Ricard-owned Absolut ramped up its sustainability efforts last month, with the launch of its paper bottle in British supermarket chain Tesco.
The move marks the first time a paper-based bottle will have been sold commercially in-store by a global spirits company, the vodka producer said, and it was created in collaboration with The Paper Bottle Company (Pabaco). The two companies first teamed up in 2019.
7. Remy Cointreau settles lawsuit with 50 Cent
Lawsuit plus celebrity always equals a popular story on The Spirits Business online, and this now-resolved dispute between Rémy Cointreau and rapper 50 Cent is no exception.
The French drinks group had first launched a trademark dispute over the In Da Club performer’s Branson Cognac brand in 2021, saying it had ‘wilfully and blatantly designed their bottle to unfairly capitalise on the goodwill and reputation’ of its Rémy Martin Cognac bottle mark.
In a statement, Rémy Cointreau confirmed the two companies had now reached a settlement, but the court document remains under seal.
6. The biggest-selling spirits in the world
The first of many stories in our most-read list that falls under the Brand Champions banner is our round-up of the biggest-selling spirits brands in the world.
Each of the brands in this round-up have achieved some impressive figures in the last year, but none more so than this year’s Supreme Brand Champion, Jinro, which surpassed the 100-million nine-litre-case sales milestone in 2022.
5. Top 10 biggest-selling world whiskies
From Japan to North America, with a layover in Ireland in between – our round-up of the biggest-selling world whiskies features spirits from each third of the planet, and our readers were keen to find out which ones they were.
Most million‐case‐selling American whiskeys were in growth in 2022, while the Irish whiskey contingent welcomed a new member to the million-case crew.
4. Top 10 biggest-selling Tequila brands
Its undeniably one of the most popular spirits categories in the world right now, so it’s not surprising that the clicks were high for our round-up of the biggest-selling Tequila brands of last year.
The Mexican spirit overtook American whiskey last year to become the second most valuable spirit category in the US, as reported by IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, sitting only behind vodka. By the end of 2023, IWSR expects Tequila will be in the number-one spot.
3. Top 10 biggest-selling Indian whiskies
Four of the whiskies in this top 10 round-up also featured in our biggest-selling brands list included above, so its no surprise that this story was extremely popular in June.
IWSR 2021 figures cited by Bacardi estimate that the Indian whisky category could exceed 250 million nine-litre cases by 2026, so going forward we expect each year’s iteration of this story to continue making big impressions with our Indian whisky-loving readers.
2. Top 10 biggest-selling Scotch whiskies
There’s no doubt about it, readers of SB love a Scotch whisky story, a point proven by the two most popular articles of the month.
The top 10 biggest-selling Scotch whisky brands of 2022 has taken second position on the podium, demonstrating the category’s ever-growing popularity.
1. Johnnie Walker unveils limited edition bottle
And finally, the maker of the world’s biggest-selling Scotch whisky brand has also taken the top spot in our list of June’s most-read stories.
Following the Diageo-owned brand’s invitation for artists and designers to put their own ‘creative stamp’ on a limited edition bottle of its Black Label blended whisky, Kushiaania was named the winning entry. Her ‘vibrant design’ was inspired by the Brit-Asian ‘culture-clash’ world, and is described as ‘a powerful celebration of self-expression, feminine strength, and joy’.