Big Brand Vodkas Show Recovery in October

Spirits sales delivered a respectable 4.4% growth in the 4 weeks to November 8 in all Nielsen-measured channels. Volumes for the category grew 2.4% and the percentage of product sold on promotion dropped, according to a note from UBS analysts this week. But the performances of the big spirits players were not so predictable. For instance, Diageo's sales were up 1.5% for the period and driven primarily by the company's big vodka brands. (Yes, you read that right.) Smirnoff was