Ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages are a story of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Let’s start on a high note with the good: refrigerated RTD coffee. This subcategory enjoyed an excellent 52 weeks ending July 14, with dollar sales ripping higher by 7% year over year (YoY) to $1.2 billion, while unit sales rose a healthy 3% YoY to 218.5 million, according to Chicago-based market research firm Circana.
As our chart shows, Seattle-based Starbucks continues to be the leader in terms of dollar sales in the refrigerated RTD coffee category, with sales topping $465 million for the period ending July 14, an increase of 5.5% YoY. However, its unit sales declined by 1% to 74 million.
Closing the gap is No. 2 seller Stōk. The San Francisco-based company’s dollar sales jumped by 28% YoY to $348 million, pairing nicely with a 23% unit sales gain to 63 million, notes Circana data.
Refrigerated kombucha is also on a hot streak. The subcategory’s dollar sales rose 6% YoY to $673 million, as well as a 3% unit sales gain to 172 million. Leading the way was Beverly Hills, Calif.-based GT’s Living Foods, whose dollar sales totaled $357 million, a 9% YoY gain, along with unit sales of 79 million, good for a 3% increase.
Another standout was No. 2 seller, Torrance, Calif.-based Health-Ade, whose dollar sales skyrocketed 23% YoY to $147 million, while unit sales picked up 25% to nearly 40 million.
Within RTD beverages, refrigerated teas also showcased solid growth. Dollar sales lifted higher by 6% YoY to nearly $1.7 billion. Unit sales growth was more muted, picking up a 1% YoY improvement to 585 million, Circana data reports. Milo’s is the No. 1 seller in this subcategory, as it posted an impressive double-digit gain. The Bessemer, Ala.-based company’s dollar sales rose 19% YoY to $601 million for the period ending July 14, while registering an 11% unit sales gain to 202 million.
GT’s Living Foods was a standout in this subcategory. The company is now the No. 8 seller of refrigerated teas after posting a 120% YoY dollar sales gain to $24 million, while seeing unit sales also increase by triple digits, by 106% to nearly 7 million.
However, results in the canned and bottled tea and cappuccino/iced coffee subcategories leaned toward the “bad” or “mixed” column. In the canned and bottled tea subcategory, dollar sales did pick up a 1% gain for the year ending July 14, to $4.7 billion, Circana notes. But unit sales dropped 4% to 1.66 billion.
Arizona is the No. 1 player here, and the only one in the $1 billion sales club. The Woodbury, N.Y.-based company’s sales jumped by 2% YoY to $1.01 billion, but unit sales dipped by 2% to 520 million.
Although just barely outside the top 10 sellers in the canned and bottled tea subcategory, Liquid Death definitely deserves to be mentioned. The Los Angeles-based company’s dollar sales rose an impressive 335% YoY to $60.4 million, which paired well with a 305% unit sales pop to nearly 15 million.
Regarding cappuccino/iced coffee, overall YoY dollar sales declined by 5% to $3.4 billion. Unit sales suffered a deeper drop of 9% percent to 890 million, Circana data reveals. Starbucks is the No. 1 seller in this subcategory. However, its dollar sales dipped 6% YoY to $2.1 billion, while unit sales dropped a larger 12% to 513 million.
A star in this subcategory can be found in No. 9 seller, Victor Allen’s Coffee. The Madison, Wis.-based company’s dollar sales jumped by 186% YoY to nearly $18 million, and its unit sales skyrocketed by 189% to 4 million.
Unfortunately, placing in the “ugly” category was cold brew. This subcategory is as cold as its name suggests, following a 30% YoY dollar sales drop to $147 million, and a similar 33% unit sales decrease to nearly 39 million. Starbucks also leads the pack in this subcategory in terms of dollar sales, which declined by 25% YoY to $100 million, while unit sales cratered by 31% to nearly 25 million.
Although the cold brew category had a rough 52-week period ending July 14, there was one big shining star that bucked the trend. The distinction belongs to La Colombe, now owned by Chobani. The Philadelphia-based company, the No. 2 cold brew seller, enjoyed a 50% YoY gain to $8.7 million, bested by an 84% rise in unit sales 2.9 million, according to Circana data.
