Yahoo Finance LCBO reveals Ontario's drinks of choice for 2022
Tequila!
The Champs' No. 1 hit from 1958 was as prescient as ever in Ontario in 2022.
The LCBO revealed new data that showed tequila sales were up 28 per cent this year compared to last.
The Crown corporation credits tequila's popularity, and regional variants like Mezcal, to its versatility in cocktails and its trendiness.
Another spirit that saw an upward trend was whisky, including brands from America and "emerging" whiskey regions like Ireland and Japan. The LCBO saw a 25% increase in sales compared to the previous year.
The LCBO describes Ontarians' wine buying habits as “less but better” in 2022. Customers weren’t buying as much wine, but they were more likely to spend more on premium products like Vintages. Products like champagne, sparkling European wines, California wines and summer favourite rosé drove this growth. Ontario ice wine was also in high demand, with more than 52% growth over last year.
The LCBO says post-pandemic drinking looked at a little different for some in the province: Ontarians were keen on trying lighter wines, including low sugar and low-calorie ones, or even alcohol-free options.
Ontarians cooled on coolers, however, with demand for "ready to drink" options slowing compared to last year (think White Claw and the like). Those who are committed to RTD drinks tended to stick to their favourite brands, even as new ones entered the market. Seltzers continue to be the most popular RTD, with 39% of overall RTD sales.
Customers were also interested to see better value when it came to beer, likely a reflection of the current economic climate. Craft beer drinkers were committed to adventurous tastes, with full-flavoured IPAs leading in popularity.
As for alcohol packaging trends, larger format RTD boxes and single-serve wine in cans and tetra packs were favourites, proving that convenience is king.
The LCBO's data is from sales between Jan. 1 and Nov. 5, 2022.
