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Heineken, Moutai and Moët & Chandon are the most valuable liquor brands
Despite the inflationary pressures being faced by consumers, beer brands continue to see brand value growth. Further, Heineken also ranked second in terms of brand strength.
Drinking better beer
Henry Farr, associate director, Brand Finance said: “It seems like beer drinkers are not necessarily drinking more, but instead, are drinking better. Visits to bars and restaurants are becoming less regular and less spontaneous, meaning many consumers are looking to trade-up on their beer of choice, prioritising taste and quality over price. Beer brands that are delivering on high quality premium lagers seem to be doing well.”
In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in 38 countries and across 31 sectors.
Asahi is the world’s strongest beer brand, earning a brand strength index score of 92.6 out of 100, and a corresponding AAA+ rating. As Japan’s most popular beer brand, regional support has been a key driver in developing brand strength.
Asahi has the highest Sustainability Perceptions Score, at 5.65 out of 10, of any brand included in the Beers 50 2023 ranking. Closely behind was another Japan-based brand, Kirin .
Zhujiang claims the title of beer’s fasted-growing brand, followed by Tsingtao.
Zhujiang grew this past year, in part, thanks to its improved standing with younger, more price-sensitive consumers. While competitors have opted for price hikes, Zhujiang has maintained stable beer prices, offering a quality, mid-price alternative. Tsingtao’s impressive brand value growth links directly to the brand’s revitalised business model. In 2022, Tsingtao launched over 250 taverns and introduced the brand’s new and immersive customer-centric strategy.
Best Spirits
The brand 1800 claims the title of the fastest-growing spirit, more than doubling since last year. In connection with tequila’s category growth and the brands improved standing among next-generation tequila drinkers, 1800 grew very quickly.
Closely behind, Casamigos also more than doubles its brand value. Since its inception, Casamigos has seen significant growth by following an organic word-of-mouth marketing strategy.
Farr said: “The tequila sector has really grown in recent years. It is outpacing other spirits, leaving tequila brands well-positioned to capture evolving preferences of consumers, where many are opting for higher quality, premium-branded product and this is what Casamigos, especially, has done so well, given that its entire inception was based on creating a product they wanted to drink and enjoy.”
Elite Baijiu brand Moutai is the world’s most valuable spirit brand for the eighth consecutive year. Hailed as China’s national liquor, Moutai’s deep heritage and association with Chinese tradition has led to its market dominance.
In addition to being the most valuable brand, Moutai is now also the world’s strongest Spirits brand. It boasts a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 90.8 out of 100 with a corresponding brand rating of AAA+.
With a highly respectable BSI of 89.8 out of 100, Wuliangye’s score sees the brand promoted to the maximum AAA+ rating alongside Moutai. Following Covid-19, China’s Baijiu brands have experienced increased competition as production rates have reduced significantly. Although Baijiu remains China’s dominant spirit, brands must consider consumer perceptions and maintain brand equity and as a result, market share.
Champagne and Wine
Maintaining the number one spot for the third consecutive year, Moët & Chandon tops the ranking as the world’s most valuable wine brand. Despite a slight decline in brand value, the Champagne champion stays just ahead of the ranking’s second most valuable brand Changyu, which climbed two positions in this year’s ranking.
Changyu – little known amongst Western wine connoisseurs – will be a shock challenger at the top of the wine brand rankings. However, the massive and growing size of the Chinese wine market means that the brand is extremely valuable
Changyu becomes the strongest Wine and Champagne brand with a BSI score of 83.2 out of 100, earning it a AAA- rating. The China-based brand boasts three consecutive years of brand strength growth.
Penfolds is this year’s fastest-growing Wine & Champagne brand. The Australian-based brand is also the category’s second strongest, with a BSI of 81.6 out of 100.