The world’s biggest-selling liqueurs – The Spirits Business

Whether creamy or fruity, liqueurs are predicted to grow – but the biggest brands generally suffered in 2023.

Globally, the liqueurs category is set for further success. The sector is expected to post an increase of 2.6% to 131.8m nine-litre cases in 2023, up from 128.5m the previous year, according to data from Euromonitor International.

Irish cream liqueurs fell by 9% to €370 million (US$406m) last year, according to a Bord Bia report, however the category experienced growth in some emerging markets in Europe, including the Czech Republic, which more than doubled. Exports to the UK, a key market, also grew by 20% in 2023.

Cream liqueurs also performed strongly in Great Britain’s on-trade as the only spirits subcategory to grow in 2023, with sales by value up by nearly a third (29.8%).

This success was sadly not felt across the board for the million nine-litre case brands, with the majority experiencing a volume sales decline in 2023.

Below are the biggest-selling liqueur brands from this year’s Brand Champions report, which is now available to read online.

All data has been listed to one decimal place for ease of reading, but the percentage changes were calculated based on the full data supplied. All data is recorded in millions of nine-litre cases.

6. Amarula

2023: 1.1m

2022: 1.4m

% change: -25.4%

Place last year: NA

In 2023’s Brand Champions report, South African firm Distell declined to provide 2022 figures for Amarula as the company was taken over by brewing giant Heineken in April 2023. Despite keeping schtum, the liqueur had actually enjoyed a 22.7% growth on 2021 figures – although in 2023 it dropped back down by 25.4%, to a total of 1.1m cases. It could be a case of settling into its new portfolio, but Heineken will surely be hoping for a better return on investment in 2024.

5. Choya

2023: 1.5m

2022: 1.5m

% change: -5.2%

Place last year: 6

It’s been a slow downward tumble for Japanese liqueur brand Choya, which reached its peak in 2020 with 1.7m cases and has fallen each year since. This year it suffered a modest 5.2% decline, keeping it mostly in line with pre-pandemic figures.

In 2023, the brand lowered the ABV and price of its Sarari range to appeal to a younger demographic.

4. Kahlúa

2023: 1.9m

2022: 1.8m

% change: 3.3%

Place last year: 5

This year’s Liqueur Brand Champion was Kahlúa, with the Pernod Ricard-owned coffee-based liqueur experiencing the biggest growth among its competitors, with an uptick of 3.3% last year to reach 1.9m cases.

The “world’s leading coffee liqueur” had an “exceptional performance” in the US and the UK, according to Craig van Niekerk, vice-president of marketing – Malibu and Kahlúa at Pernod Ricard. In addition to these countries, the brand also saw “significant growth across all principal markets”.

Pernod Ricard is set to launch a line extension in the US in the coming months, Kahlúa Chocolate Sips. In October, Kahlúa teamed up with actress Salma Hayek Pinault on its global Stir Up campaign.

3. Lubelska

2023: 1.9m

2022: 1.9m

% change: 1.1%

Place last year: 4

Stock Spirits-owned Lubelska was the only brand other than Kahlúa to report an increase, growing by a modest 1.1% to 1.9m cases. The brand reached the 2m-case milestone in 2019 and has fallen just short of the target each year since – 2024 could be the year this all changes.

2. Malibu

2023: 4.4m

2022: 4.8m

% change: -8.1%

Place last year: 2

Kahlúa’s stablemate, rum-based Malibu, sadly didn’t match the growth of its sister brand, declining by 8.1% to 4.4m cases. It managed to hold onto its place as the second-biggest-selling liqueur brand in the world, with its nearest competitor more than 2m cases behind it – however first place is an even steeper 3.8m cases away.

The brand was straight out of the starting blocks in 2024, launching a marketing campaign to coincide with the release of the Mean Girls movie.

1. Baileys

2023: 8.2m

2022: 8.8m

% change: -6.3%

Place last year: 1

The world’s biggest-selling liqueur brand, Baileys, held onto its crown despite stumbling by 6.3% to 8.2m cases. Parent firm Diageo may be somewhat concerned about the figures, considering it invested £26m (US$33m) to expand the brand’s production site in August 2023. Work was expected to begin earlier this year and will hopefully bring more positive volume results for 2024.

The cream liqueur made plenty of headlines last year, from launching a Vanilla Mint Shake variant to becoming the official partner of the Eurovision Song Contest. For 2024, the brand is focusing on its eco-credentials, trialling both aluminium and paper bottles.