Market
Vodka, traditionally known as a smooth, clear liquor with little taste or aroma, derives its name from the Russian word “voda,” meaning water. According to historical accounts, the spirit originated in Russia where it was made from potatoes and used for medicinal purposes.
Today, vodka is the most popular of all distilled spirits and is made primarily from barley, wheat, or rye and serves as the base ingredient for many of the most popular cocktails and mixed drinks. According to Impact Databank, total vodka shipments reached a high of more than 42 million cases in 2003.
Vodka is particularly popular in the United States, where nearly 60 percent of all the vodka in the Western world is consumed. In the U.S. market, imported vodka is leading the growth of the category, with consumption of imports nearly doubling since 1996. ABSOLUT ranks as the number-one premium imported vodka in the United States, with a commanding market share over its closest two rivals.
When ABSOLUT was first exported from Sweden in 1979, only 10,000 nine-liter cases were sold in the United States. In just five years, ABSOLUT was available in 18 countries; by 1985 it ranked atop imported vodkas in the United States. Since then, ABSOLUT has continued its strong sales growth worldwide and today is available in 126 markets, ranking as the world’s third-largest spirit brand.
