Recovering from its 2020 plateau as a result of the pandemic, mezcal saw 50 percent gains in export volume to the United States last year.
In 2020, the spirit’s export volume to the U.S. dipped to just 12.5 percent, following a 50 percent surge three years ago. Taking into account its rebound in 2021, data now shows that mezcal’s volume in the U.S. has increased nearly six-fold over the last six years, according to Impact Databank.
Mezcal has seen particular popularity in the premium space, Shaken News Daily reports. Bacardi-owned Ilegal currently leads the market, followed by Pernod Ricard’s del Maguey.
The U.S. is home to mezcal’s largest market, trumping even its home country of Mexico, according to Impact Databank, and its rapid rate of growth is second only to the booming RTD cocktail category.
