U.S. beverage sales increased by 1% in 2012, marking a third year of growth after two consecutive declining years, according to data from the Beverage Marketing Corporation.
The total liquid refreshment volume hit close to 29.8 billion gallons in 2012. Energy drinks and ready-to-drink (RTD) tea and coffee advanced forcefully, and aggressive pricing contributed to a sizeable increase in bottled water. However, larger segments like carbonated soft drinks and fruit beverages failed to grow once again.
Energy drinks advanced the fastest with a 14.3% volume increase, but the segment accounted for a relatively small share of total liquid refreshment beverage volume. The only beverage types with smaller shares of volume were RTD coffee and value-added water.
In the sports beverages category, which grew faster than the overall beverage market, Gatorade had the fifth largest beverage trademark during the year. The brand topped 1 billion gallons for the first time in 2011 and remained above that level in 2012. Its chief rival, Powerade, also moved enough for the overall category to grow.
Carbonated soft drinks remained the biggest beverage category, although it continued to lose volume and market share. Volume slipped by 1.8% from 13.6 billion gallons in 2011 to 13.3 billion gallons in 2012, which lowered market share from 46% to less than 45%. Certain soda trademarks, such as Coke Zero and Dr Pepper, did achieve growth, and carbonated soft drinks had four of the 10 biggest beverage trademarks during 2012, with Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola retaining their usual first and second positions.
Bottled water had three entries among the leading trademarks in 2012. The category swelled by 5.8% in 2012, and two of the three biggest brands—Nestlé Pure Life and Dasani—grew significantly faster.
RTD tea grew by nearly 5% in 2012.
Four companies accounted for all of the leading refreshment beverage trademarks. Pepsi-Cola had four brands, including Tropicana, the only fruit beverage brand to make the list. Coca-Cola had three, Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) had two and Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG) had one.
