Canada: Beer remains Canada’s drink of choice but both domestic and import brands see volume decline last year

The Canadian love affair with hops and barley continues, but more and more drinkers are opting for the grape, Statistics Canada announced in a report on May 9.

And that’s not all — Canadians are falling head over heels for the apple too.

While beer remained the drink of choice, wine and craft ciders sales grew. In fact, all alcoholic beverage sales were up 2.3 per cent from the previous year as of March 2017, the report stated.

“Wine has become democratized or is somehow more open and inclusive,” said Nic Bird, assistant manager of Point Grey Liberty Wines store. “But at the same time, there still exists a level of sophistication.”

Beer sales accounted for C$9 billion of C$23 billion in total alcoholic sales, which mirrored the previous year.

But the volume of both Canadian and imported beers decreased, and in British Columbia the market share of total alcoholic sales was the lowest across the country, sitting at 34.4 per cent.

Yet wine sales spiked almost four per cent, amounting to roughly C$7 billion. Canadian wine sales outpaced imported wine: The former rose by nearly 7 per cent, while the latter grew almost 2 per cent, the report stated.

“Rosé sales are increasing by 50 per cent year after year. It is becoming huge,” Bird explained.

Bird said perhaps it’s because rosé has become a cultural phenomenon. However, rosé accounted for fewer than 20 per cent of wine sales.

But pop culture is more fixated on wine, Bird added, citing a number of sommelier shows on Netflix. In the past, wine bars would shut down after a year. Now, Bird said they now have an extended shelf life, which is a good indication of consumer behaviour.

That wasn’t the case with barley brews: The report highlighted the volume of both Canadian and imported beer decreased from the previous year In fact, average beer sales — measured in volume — have been declining over the past decade.

Craft beer is still a crowd-pleaser, said Adrienne Weeks, the manager at Steamworks Fine Wine and Spirits. But wine, spirits and craft ciders are a close second.

In particular, ice wine and Canadian whisky are sought after, which Weeks attributed to the tourist season. At the national level, whisky was the most popular spirit sold and the report noted the volume of both Canadian and imported spirits rose slightly.

But it’s the rise of locally-made craft ciders and coolers that are “huge,” Weeks added.

“Our sales have gone up ridiculous amounts. They’re becoming more creative with all sorts of ciders,” she said, noting their top seller was lavender-infused.

The amount of ciders, coolers and refreshment beverages marked an increase of 8.2 per cent from the previous year. The report stated it was a “small market share … with sustained and dynamic growth.”

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