With over 40 data tables providing total consumption volume for all major markets and brands, this latest edition of our popular global market review of vodka provides an excellent overview of the historic, present and future market for the sector. This edition includes 2008 actual full-year volumes, recently updated by The IWSR.

Vodka is the most dynamic category in the global spirits industry today. Not only is it the largest global category with total sales of 512.7m cases (2008), but its growth trajectory has been nothing but phenomenal. Over the course of the past 20 years the category has added a staggering 246.7m cases (a CAGR of 3.5%).

Much of this growth has come in the vodka belt countries of Russia and Poland, where there has been a move from unregistered to registered brands. In Russia alone legal sales increased by 21m cases over that 20-year period. That has been driven by tighter government controls and rising affluence.

The US has been the other major source of growth, rising by 21.2m cases over the 20-year period. Sales in the US look set to continue growing due to the favourable demographic profile there. Other major contributors over that period include the UK (+4.48m cases), Germany (+6.1m cases) and Canada (+1.8m cases).

Vodka’s performance has also been impressive due the breadth of markets enjoying growth. Vodka has enjoyed considerable growth across a broad spectrum of markets. Between 2004 and 2008, vodka posted gains in 41 of its top 50 largest global (domestic) markets. In many of these it was double-digit CAGR growth.

This new edition of vodka has been completely re-written and follows on from where last year's edition concluded.

Chapter 1 Scope of the market
This chapter provides analysis of the major issues facing the global vodka market. With extensive extracts of interviews with the leading brand players, it discusses the premium evolution, how a new frugality is reaching the previously high-growth markets such as the US (Davide Campari-Milano SpA group marketing director Cesare Vandini: “We are seeing some trade down from the super-premium. Skyy is definitely benefitting from this and gaining share.”), whether downtrading is here to stay, loyalty towards established brands, venue shifts, the growing cocktail culture, flavour and packaging innovation, and how Eastern Europe groups are establishing their place in the business.

This chapter contains the report's overview data comprising world vodka sales from 2004 to 2014 for each major market. This table contains data for 30 markets - all with historic data up to and including full-year 2008 and forecasted data to 2014.

Chapter 2 Market reports
This chapter reviews each of the key markets for vodka worldwide, commenting on their 2008 performance and providing data (typically 2003 to 2008 volumes) for the top ten brands and top five owners in each of the key markets. Strategic acquisitions, consumer trends and interviews with the key brands all feature.

Commenting on the US market:
Finlandia Vodka US brand manager Nick Nelson says: “The poor economy has impacted the vodka category as the super-premium and premium brands’ – Grey Goose, Absolut, and Stolichnaya – performance has softened, while the popular priced and value brands – Skyy, Svedka, and Sobieski – are seeing strong growth. This would be a strong indicator that consumers are trading down significantly.”

Comments on Russia:
Consumers are trading down to cheaper versions. The premium and import segments, in particular, have been hard hit. Diageo Eastern Europe and Russia marketing director Mark Sandys says: “The biggest impact on sales has been the drop in consumer demand since the impact of the crisis was felt in Russia in December. With disposable income and consumer confidence falling, consumers have traded down in vodka and imported spirits. Across the total spirits category, there have been some price rises since February, as you would expect in a high inflation environment, but not at a greater rate than in previous years.

“The crisis in Russia has changed the dynamics of the drinks industry and our strategy has been to adapt our portfolio and our offering to meet these changing demands. For the medium- and long-term, premiumisation and super-deluxe spirits will remain very relevant in Russia. In the short term, however, it is important that we also build brands at a wider range of price points to provide great value for consumers.”

Starting with the Americas, the chapter moves on to Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, Australasia, South Africa and finally reviews the travel retail sector.

Chapter 3 Leading companies
This chapter reviews the key players' strategies, developments, brand plans and features interviews with the leading companies. Profiled companies: Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC), Bacardi-Martini and Campari.

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Read more about this report with just-drinks' research article here

Chapter 1 Scope of the market
Premium evolution
New frugality
Downtrading: permanent or temporary
Toward tried-and-tested brands
Venue shift
Cocktail culture
Forging differences
Flavour explosion
Packaging battleground
Eastern European groups expand
Expanding premium’s footprint

Chapter 2 Market reports
Americas
United States
Canada
Mexico
Brazil
Europe
Eastern Europe
Russia
Ukraine
Belarus
Poland
Baltic markets
Czech Republic
Western Europe
France
The UK
Ireland
Germany
Spain
Scandinavia
Asia
China
India
Australia
New Zealand
South Africa
Travel retail
More premium offerings
Other markets

Chapter 3 Leading companies
Diageo
Pernod Ricard
Integration moves
International potential
Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC)
Bacardi-Martini
Campari

Appendix: History

List of tables
Table 1: World vodka sales by total volume consumption – world total and by major market, 2004-2014 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 2: Top ten vodka brands in United States by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 3: Top five vodka brand owners in United States by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 4: Top ten vodka brands in Canada by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 5: Top five vodka brand owners in Canada by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 6: Top ten vodka brands in Brazil by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 7: Top five vodka brand owners in Brazil by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 8: Top ten vodka brands in Russia by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 9: Top five vodka brand owners in Russia by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 10: Top ten vodka brands in Ukraine by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 11: Top five vodka brand owners in Ukraine by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 12: Top 12 vodka brands in Belarus by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 13: Top five vodka brand owners in Belarus by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 14: Top ten vodka brands in Poland by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 15: Top five vodka brand owners in Poland by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 16: Top ten vodka brands in Lithuania by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 17: Top five vodka brand owners in Lithuania by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 18: Top ten vodka brands in Estonia by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 19: Top five vodka brand owners in Estonia by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 20: Top ten vodka brands in Czech Republic by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 21: Top five vodka brand owners in Czech Republic by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 22: Top ten vodka brands in France by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 23: Top five vodka brand owners in France by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 24: Top ten vodka brands in United Kingdom by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 25: Top five vodka brand owners in United Kingdom by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 26: Top ten vodka brands in Germany by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 27: Top five vodka brand owners in Germany by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 28: Top ten vodka brands in Finland by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 29: Top five vodka brand owners in Finland by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 30: Top ten vodka brands in India by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 31: Top five vodka brand owners in India by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 32: Top ten vodka brands in travel retail by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 33: Top five vodka brand owners in travel retail by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 34: Top ten vodka brands in Bulgaria by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 35: Top five vodka brand owners in Bulgaria by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 36: Top ten vodka brands in Kazakhstan by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 37: Top five vodka brand owners in Kazakhstan by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 38: Top ten vodka brands in Romania by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 39: Top five vodka brand owners in Romania by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 40: Top ten vodka brands in Uzbekistan by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 41: Top five vodka brand owners in Uzbekistan by total sales volume, 2003-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 42: Global vodka market by quality segment, 1999-2008 (‘000s nine-litre cases)
Table 43: Top 30 vodka markets – proportion of flavoured vodka, 1999-2008 (%)