The Cocktail Sales Tracker, powered by CGA’s BeverageTrak service, delivers granular quarterly insights into people’s preferences across the US, helping suppliers respond nimbly to changing tastes. Here are five of the most profitable and noteworthy cocktails of 2024 that it reveals.
1 Mojito
The Mojito’s velocity in the third quarter of 2024 was 37% higher than in the same period in 2023—making it the second most valuable cocktail in the average US outlet after the Margarita. This stellar growth came despite a slight fall in average check value, highlighting a surge in quantities this year. While sales peaked in the third quarter, the Mojito remained in the top ten through the Winter too—a sign of its year-round appeal. Casual dining outlets delivered the best growth, with velocity doubling year-on-year, while polished casual outlets remain the most valuable channel.
2 Espresso Martini
The Espresso Martini has been a fast mover lately, with an average uplift of 91% between Q3 and Q4 in 2023 and a leap from eighth to fourth in the list of most lucrative cocktails. Velocity in the third quarter of 2024 rocketed by another 116% year-on-year, and with average prices and check values broadly flat, volume has again been the driving force. Casual dining and fine dining outlets climbed six and four places respectively in the ranking of channels with the best increases in performance.
3 Spritz
The Spritz has been a big mover in cocktails in 2024. It generally performs best in eating outlets, and is consistently among the top ten cocktails in the polished casual, fine dining and fast casual sectors. It is important to understand seasonal fluctuations in Spritz sales, and it ranked second in the second quarter of 2024 but only tenth in the third quarter. The Spritz has led a shift towards cocktails based on wine, which exceeded gin, rum and whiskey in value share in the second quarter.
4 Negroni
The Negroni is one of the On Premise’s most lucrative cocktails, sitting around the top of the rankings for average check value and price throughout 2024. It now sells for $16 in the average US outlet—up by $1 year-on-year. The Cocktail Sales Tracker’s analysis of dayparts has shown a shift in consumption from Saturdays to Fridays in the third quarter, while early evenings remain the most valuable time of day. Polished casual venues have seen a 79% velocity uplift, while neighborhood bars have dipped 49%.
5 Margarita
The Margarita remains by far the most popular cocktail in the US On Premise, with a velocity in the average US outlet that is around four times higher than the next most valuable choice. While third-quarter sales were 5% behind the second quarter, they outperformed the same period in 2023 by 25% and helped tequila to its largest share of cocktails by value in over a year. Margarita is the most valuable cocktail in every outlet type except fine dining, while Fridays and Saturdays are the best performing days of the week.
Click here to learn more about CGA’s Cocktail Sales Tracker, which is complemented by the On Premise Cocktail Report. The two solutions provide best-in-class insights into sales trends in cocktails in the US On Premise, helping businesses build successful strategies for all channels, occasions and demographics. To discover more about the services and the expert support that is available to help interpret trends at category, segment and brand level, contact us today!
