Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails dominated the spirits industry in 2024, surging 20% to reach 63 million 9-liter cases and capturing a 20.5% market share, just behind whiskey, according to the Beverage Information Group. While this represents a slight cooling from 2023's explosive growth, RTDs still outperformed all other distilled spirits categories as consumers increasingly embraced their convenience and variety across diverse drinking occasions.
The category's success story was led by Surfside Iced Tea & Vodka, which achieved a staggering 294% year-over-year growth, adding 3.5 million cases. Other standout performers included High Noon Sun Sips, BeatBox Beverages, and Carbliss, all of which saw dramatic volume increases despite the increasingly crowded marketplace.
As RTDs approach market maturity, brands continue to flood shelves with innovative offerings, driving the category's 3.0 percentage point share gain year over year and solidifying its position as a permanent fixture in the beverage alcohol landscape.
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