Off-premise wine sales increase 10.4 percent through April

Off-premise wine sales data increased 10.4 percent from the same period of the previous year in the 4 weeks ending April 30, 2011, according to The Nielsen Company-tracked data. This high sales jump is likely due to the Easter holiday, which took place on April 24 this year. In the 13 weeks ending during the same period, wine sales increased 3.9 percent.

Domestic wine sales increased 11.3 percent while imported wine sales grew 8.1 percent in the 4 weeks ending April 30. In case volume during that same period, domestic wines increased 8.7 percent while import case volume grew 7 percent.

In the 4 weeks ending April 30, wine sales grew the most in the over-$20 price segment, increasing 25.2 percent. In both the 13 weeks and 52 weeks ending the same period, wine sales in the over-$20 grew 12.8 percent. Other price categories showing strong growth include the $9 to $11.99 and $15 to $19.99 segments while the $0 to $2.99 segment fell. In the $9 to $11.99 category, wine sales grew 19.2 percent in the 4 weeks ending April 30; during the same period, sales grew 18 percent in the $15 to $19.99 category.