June 30/Norwalk, Conn./Food Business Week -- According to the Beverage Information Group's recently released 2010 Liquor Handbook, total spirits consumption rose 1.6% in 2009 to 188.6 million 9-liter cases. This gain marks the twelfth consecutive year of advances for the industry, although this rate of expansion has slowed.
Even though growth has pulled back slightly due to the recessionary environment, the distilled spirits business remains healthy. The drivers for slow growth continue to be a shift to off-premise consumption, the economic dip and value-priced offerings.