This week we released our Ontario's top alcoholic beverage trends of 2024, our annual summary of beverage alcohol purchasing trends in Ontario.
People enjoy hearing about the changing tastes and preferences of Ontarians across different categories, and we hope our trade partners do too.
Highlighted trends for this year* include:
· Tequila continued to have strong growth, albeit slower than previous years (+6% compared to +16% last year).
· American whiskey also captivated people’s attention this year (+7%) partly driven by popular releases throughout the year.
· More customers discovered the world of Asian spirits, such as soju and whiskies, which offer a delicate and clean flavour profile compared to other styles.
· Many customers are seeking fresher styles of wine, including lighter reds, low and dealcoholized wines, and refreshing whites. Ice wine deviates from this trend, with a consistent upward trend since 2022 (+7% in the last year and +29% since 2022).
· A notable trend in both spirits and wines is the demand for smaller formats which provides a great option for those who don't want to commit to a full-size bottle.
· Ready-to-Drink products remained popular throughout the year, but cocktails (+17% YOY) stand out as the fastest growing segment.
· A standout trend within the beer category was the growth of de-alcoholic beer (+69%)
· Products with no alcohol saw growth of 73% over the last year and 189% growth since 2022.
The full media release can be found in LCBO’s Media Centre.
Data and information pertain to November 4, 2023 - November 9, 2024. Data may be understated due to the 17-day LCBO strike.