US BiB wine sales outperform overall wine market

While bottles are still the most popular format for wine, sales of premium wine boxes are growing much faster in the US.  

Last year premium boxed wine sales soared by over 24%, while table wine experienced a 4.2% increase, and value boxes actually dropped by 1.9%, according to IRI.  

Total boxed wine sales for the year ending January 22nd were $576m, of which $278m was accounted by value wines and $299 for premium.  

Constellation Brands’ Black Box is ranked at number three, and Delicato Family Vineyards’ Bota Box is number five in year to year increases amongst wine brands. Black Box wines sold $164m premium boxes, up by 28.5% while Bota Box’s three litre format, which is the number 15 overall wine brand in the US, grew by 28% to $114m, seven times faster than the overall table wine category.

In the past five years, Bota’s sales have soared by 139%, to reach five million cases last year. Vendage premium box wine hit $84m, a 12.2% increase.  

The average price per 750ml for boxed wine works out at $5.02 for Black Box, $4.77 for Bota Box and $5.58 for Vendage. While the market for wines less than $8 a bottle is generally stagnating, it is growing for box wines.  

Boxes of all sizes account for nearly 20% of all wine volume sold, with sales of premium three litre boxes growing much faster than five litre boxes.  

Imported boxes currently account for only a tiny proportion of the US market, with value boxes amounting to only $3m in sales, down almost 20% year on year, while premium imported boxes soared by 24% to $6m.