The US wine market: Six consumer groups

26-Nov-2018 - Last updated on 26-Nov-2018 at 13:25 GMT

The US is home to 84 million regular wine drinkers, making it the most populous wine market in the world. But not all drinkers are the same. Wine Intelligence has identified six distinct consumer segments in the US market, each with differing preferences, behavior, and spending patterns.

The six categories are identified in its US Portraits 2018 report, using data from Wine Intelligence’s Vinitrac online surveys with 12,632 regular wine drinkers, with an even spread of age and gender.

Engaged Explorers

This segment, usually consisting of a younger demographic, contains the most frequent wine drinkers and the highest spenders. They buy from a broad range of styles, regions and countries. They are also the most experimental consumers, looking for new experiences. While this category is the smallest of the six, it still accounts for around 10% of US regular wine drinkers.

Premium Brand Suburbans

These consumers are mid to older aged: and while they are frequent wine drinkers, they are also among the lowest spenders per bottle. Consumers in this category stick to the brands and styles they know: but their age and experience means they have the best wine knowledge of all the segments.

Contented Treaters

The Contented Treaters enjoy wine relatively infrequently: but when they do, they make it count. These mid and older affluent drinkers are big spenders, knowledgeable and involved, and enjoy a broad range of types and styles – often taking the origins of a wine into consideration.

Social Newbies

This is the youngest segment out of the six categories. While these consumers like wine, they do not yet see it as an integral or integrated part of their lifestyle. They buy wine twice a week on average, are mid-range spenders, and are heavily reliant on recommendations when making their purchases.

Senior Bargain Hunters

The largest of the six groups, Senior Bargain Hunters account for 26% of regular wine drinkers in the US. These consumers have value at their core. Although their wine knowledge is strong compared to other categories, they tend to purchase from a narrow range of styles and brands that meet their expectations on value.

Kitchen Casuals

One of the oldest segments, Kitchen Casuals are infrequent wine drinkers, and very rarely order wine in the on-premise market. They have a limited interest in wine, generally staying with a small range of wines they are familiar with.

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