Park Street Companies has teamed with the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) to develop and release the fifth annual Craft Spirits Data Project. The Craft Spirits Data Project, which was first announced and presented in 2016, is the beverage industry’s first-ever comprehensive craft distilling study. The Project quantifies the number, size, and impact of craft spirits producers in the United States and collected data primarily from spirits producers (DSPs), distributors, and retailers.
KEY FINDINGS AND HIGHLIGHTS
- The number of active craft distillers in the U.S. grew by 1.1% over the last year to 2,290 as of August 2021.
- The U.S. craft spirits market volume reached more than 12 million 9-liter cases in retail sales in 2020, growing at an annual rate of 7.3%.
- In value terms, the market reached $6.7 billion in sales, growing at an annual rate of 9.8%.
- U.S. craft spirits market share of total U.S. spirits reached 4.7% in volume and 7.1% in value in 2020, up from 2.2% in volume and 3% in value in 2015.
- Employment in the U.S. craft industry was heavily impacted by COVID 19. Total employment surpassed the 30,000 mark in 2019 but was reduced by nearly 50% in 2020 to under 17,000.
- In 2020, the amount of capital invested by the U.S. craft spirits industry was $759 million, an increase of over $61 million from 2019.
PROJECT BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY
The program aims to create a deeper understanding of the U.S. craft spirits landscape among three key groups: DSPs, distributors, and retailers. The study collected comprehensive data on craft distiller production size and patterns, sources of revenue, and the category’s overall economic impact within the spirits industry. The Project also collected data on craft spirits business size, patterns, and outlook on the distributor level and assess craft spirits business size and outlook by premise type at retail.
When estimating the number of producers behind the U.S. craft spirits production, the project team relies on a combination of official data released by regulatory authorities, survey data, other industry data sources both national (e.g., NABCA, ACSA) and regional (e.g., Guilds), as well as interviews and team assessments using the craft distiller definition.