December 7, 2022 The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) and Park Street Companies presented highlights from the 2022 Craft Spirits Data Project at the Annual Craft Spirits Economic Briefing, held this morning at New York Distilling Co.
The Craft Spirits Data Project, which was first introduced in 2016, is a first-of-its-kind research initiative that aims to provide a solid and reliable fact base for evaluating performance and trends in the U.S. craft spirits industry. The Project seeks to quantify the number, size, and impact of craft spirits producers in the United States in an effort led by ACSA and Park Street.
KEY FINDINGS AND HIGHLIGHTS
- The U.S. craft spirits market volume reached over 13.2m 9-liter cases in retail sales in 2021, growing at an annual rate of 10.4%. In value terms, the market reached $7.5 billion in sales, growing at an annual rate of 12.2%.
- The number of active craft distillers in the U.S. grew by 17.4% over the last year to 2,687 as of August 2022.
- Despite economic headwinds, craft producers have consistently found value in reinvesting in their businesses. On average, producers invested $337,100 in 2021 alone.
- Craft distiller sales are almost evenly split between home state/tasting rooms (46.7%) and other states (53.3%) in 2021.
- Exports provided an important runway for growth in 2021. Exports of U.S. craft spirits increased by 58%, reaching 164,000 9-liter cases.
- Some states are “craftier” than others, with California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Washington leading the pack.
PROJECT BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY
The Craft Spirits Data Project is a proprietary research project whose goal is to provide a solid and reliable fact base for evaluating performance and trends in the U.S. craft spirits industry. The CSDP is the beverage industry’s first-ever comprehensive craft distilling study. It seeks to quantify the number, size, and impact of craft spirits producers in the United States.
2022 data collection centered on spirits producers (DSPs) began in June, and remained ongoing through October 2022.
The program aims to create a deeper understanding of the U.S. craft spirits landscape. 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.
When estimating the number of producers behind the U.S. craft spirits production, the CSDP 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.