Consumers are gearing up for summer, and sales trends are offering an early glimpse at what the coming months might bring. Cocktails led growth over Memorial Day weekend, which marks the unofficial start to summer, while categories like hard lemonade and orange wine experienced strong sales increases. Read on for these and more insights from Drizly’s May 2023 sales.

High-Growth Wine, Spirits, and Beer Categories

As it did in April 2023, hard lemonade topped year-over-year growth within the beer category, led by Simply Spiked. Within the wine category, orange wine experienced the highest year-over-year sales increase in May, a position it hasn’t held since September 2021. The top five sellers were Gulp Hablo Orange Wine, Field Recordings Skins Orange Wine, Borgo Savaian Aransat Orange Wine, Biokult Naken Orange Wine, and Bosman Fides Grenache Blanc.

Last month, non-alcoholic spirits led liquor category growth, reinforcing the trend that consumers are looking for better-for-you options year-round. Seedlip dominated the list of best-selling SKUs, but there were some newcomers as well: Seedlip Garden 108 Non-alcoholic Spirit, Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative, Seedlip Grove 42 Non-alcoholic Spirit, St. Agrestis Phony Negroni, and Seedlip Spice 94 Non-alcoholic Spirit.

Occasion Insights: Mother’s Day

Gifting spiked on Mother’s Day, with share increasing by two percentage points above the 2023 year-to-date average. Though wine led gift order share, with 66 percent, that figure was down from last Mother’s Day (70 percent), while liquor was up (31 percent this year versus 27 percent last year).

Champagne led Mother’s Day gifting with 26 percent of share, followed by red wine (14 percent) and white wine (nine percent). Among the categories that experienced gains were bourbon (six percent in 2023 versus five percent in 2022), rosé (six percent versus five percent), reposado tequila (four percent versus three percent), and añejo tequila (a new entrant to the top-sellers list this year at four percent.

Drizly’s Most-Gifted Products on Mother’s Day 2023

1. Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne
2. Clase Azul Reposado Tequila
3. Veuve Clicquot Rose Champagne
4. Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut Champagne
5. Dom Pérignon Vintage Champagne
6. Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
7. Whispering Angel Rosé
8. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Gift Box Champagne
9. Moët & Chandon Impérial Rosé Champagne
10. Moët & Chandon Nectar Impérial Rosé Champagne

Occasion Insights: Memorial Day Weekend

Cocktails reigned supreme on Memorial Day weekend 2023, as liquor led sales once again, with 47 percent of share – up slightly from 46 percent of share last Memorial Day weekend. Tequila, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, and liqueurs, cordials, and schnapps all experienced year-over-year share gains. “These align with several trends outlined in our 2023 Consumer Report, including the rise in at-home cocktail making amid inflation,” says Liz Paquette, Drizly’s head of consumer insights.

Drizly’s Top-Selling Liqueurs, Memorial Day Weekend 2023

1. Aperol
2. Cointreau Orange Liqueur Triple Sec
3. Campari
4. Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur
5. Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge Orange Liqueur
6. Jägermeister
7. Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
8. St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
9. Disaronno Originale Amaretto
10. RumChata

Market Insights: Jacksonville, Florida

Last month, Jacksonville, Florida, emerged as a high-growth market on Drizly. Like many other markets in the South, Jacksonville over-indexes on liquor (58 percent of share locally versus 46 percent nationwide), and it under-indexes on both wine (27 percent versus 38 percent nationwide) and beer (13 percent versus 14 percent). Vodka holds the No. 2 spot in the list of top-selling subcategories locally, surpassing both red and white wine when compared to national trends. Lager also sees gains in the Jacksonville market, holding the No. 6 subcategory position.

“Interestingly, despite the high liquor sales in this market, the ready-to-drink cocktail trend has taken off less in this market than it has nationally,” says Paquette. RTDs hold the No. 6 position among liquor subcategories in Jacksonville with three percent of share, compared to No. 4 nationally, with six percent of share.

Drizly’s Top 10 SKUs in Jacksonville, 2023 to Date

1. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
2. Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
3. Bud Light
4. Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne
5. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc White Wine
6. Jameson Irish Whiskey
7. Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge Orange Liqueur
8. Crown Royal Fine Deluxe Blended Canadian Whisky
9. Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
10. GREY GOOSE Vodka

May’s Breakout Beverage Brands

Fitting for AAPI Heritage Month, Lunar Hard Seltzer saw breakout growth in May. The craft hard seltzer brand offers Asian fruit flavors like yuzu and lychee. As the best-selling orange wine on Drizly last month, Spain’s Gulp/Hablo experienced strong year-over-year sales increases as well. Actor and comedian Kevin Hart’s tequila brand, Gran Coramino, also saw growth in May, marking one year since its launch in May 2022.