Super-premium Prosecco sales up 295%

On-trade supplier Bibendum has seen sales of super-premium Prosecco shoot up by 295% in the last year, while premium sales were up by 150%.

The category is classed as Prosecco costing 50% or more than the average Prosecco on the list.

Sales of premium Prosecco meanwhile, classed as Prosecco that costs 20% or more than the average Prosecco on the list, have increased by 150%.

This newfound interest in premium and super-premium Prosecco hints that, having become well acquainted with entry level Prosecco, consumers are now keen to trade up and experiment at the top end of the category.

“It’s been widely reported that Prosecco is driving massive growth within the sparkling wine category. It seems that now that there is an established customer base for Prosecco, the tastes of these customers are evolving,” said Bibendum’s sales director, Mark Riley.

“Prosecco is no longer seen as a cheap alternative to Champagne, it is a category within its own right. Consumers are now looking to experiment within the category and trade up to try a more premium example of a sparkling wine they enjoy,” he added.

The figures also send out an encouraging signal that consumers are dipping into their pockets again after years of penny pinching during the recession.

In the last quarter, Bibendum saw Prosecco sales up 33% by volume and 15% by value, with growth in the category expected to continue over the festive season.

Prosecco’s progress is not limited to the on-trade – off-trade sales of the Italian sparkling wine are also incredibly strong in the UK.

In July, we reported that Waitrose and Sainsbury’s had seen year on year sales of Prosecco soar, with sales up by nearly 70% at both supermarkets. Tesco meanwhile, sold 4 million bottles of the fizz between March and July this year.

Volume sales of Prosecco at UK supermarkets have more than doubled since last year according to online shopping price comparison site mySupermarket. Global sales of Prosecco overtook Champagne for the first time last year.

The Italian sparkler shifted 307 million bottles globally last year, including 38 million bottles in Britain, while Champagne sales lagged behind at 304 million bottles.

Prosecco’s light body, citrus flavour profile, off-dry nature and approachability also tick a lot of the trend boxes consumers are seeking from their wines today.

The fizz is increasingly being enjoyed midweek and at weekends rather than being reserved for special occasions.