Campari Mounts Defense of Aperol as Spritz Market Boom Attracts Rivals

Italian spirits group Campari is intensifying efforts to protect its flagship Aperol brand, which is facing mounting pressure from copycat products and rival aperitifs looking to capitalize on the booming global market for spritz cocktails.

Campari's Defensive Strategy

Aperol is Campari's single largest brand, accounting for approximately 26% of revenue and designated a "top priority" by the company. In response to growing competition, particularly in its home market of Italy, Campari has launched several initiatives to safeguard its market share.

These measures include:

• A new promotional campaign and a loyalty program that certifies 2,000 bars and restaurants for serving authentic Aperol Spritz cocktails.
• An expanded rollout of pre-prepared Aperol Spritz kegs to ensure consistency and authenticity in on-premise venues.
• Legal efforts to protect its intellectual property, including trademarking Aperol's iconic orange color and pursuing action against some competitors.

A Crowded Market

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The primary challenge comes from a wave of lookalike orange aperitifs, which are appearing on supermarket shelves at prices 30-40% lower than Aperol. A more recent development, according to Campari's Managing Director of House of Aperitivi Andrea Neri, is the emergence of unbranded, orange-colored spritzes served from taps in Italian bars and restaurants.

Beyond direct copycats, the market is also seeing a rise in alternative spritz-style drinks. The elderflower-based Hugo Spritz, for example, is gaining significant traction on summer menus in the U.S. and Britain. Bacardi, which owns the French elderflower liqueur St-Germain, told Reuters it has seen double-digit sales growth fueled by the Hugo Spritz's popularity.

Context and Outlook

The competition is a direct result of the category's explosive growth. Global spritz consumption surged from less than 2.5 billion servings in 2019 to nearly 4 billion in 2024, according to data from IWSR. This trend has benefited Campari, with Aperol brand sales growing 1.4% last year to €785 million ($897 million), helping the company weather weaker consumer demand in the broader spirits sector.

Analysts suggest Campari's brand strength provides a significant defense. "I don’t see lookalike products representing a threat for now," AlphaValue analyst Theodore Duval-Segard told Reuters. "Campari has literally reinvented the spritz. At this point, Aperol and spritz are almost inseparable."