Kendall Jenner’s 818 Now the Fastest-Growing Tequila Brand in the United States
Kendall Jenner’s 818 Now the Fastest-Growing Tequila Brand in the United States
Pedro WolfeWed, October 7, 2026 at 7:01 PM UTC
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(Photo: 818 Tequila)
According to recently released Nielsen data, Kendall Jenner’s 818 is currently the fastest-growing tequila brand in the over-$25 category, outpacing heavy hitters like Don Julio and Patrón by double-digit margins.
In the latest four weeks ending on Sept. 5, Nielsen reports that 818 grew by 73% in year-over-year volume sales, significantly outpacing the broader tequila category, which declined by 0.4%. The brand’s Blanco and Reposado performed particularly well. According to the data, sales of 818 Blanco rose by 58% (compared to a -1% decline for the category as a whole), while 818 Reposado skyrocketed by 122% (compared to a slight 3% uptick for the segment).
In a press release, 818 said that August marked the brand’s largest-ever depletion levels, adding that the best-selling tequila is now on track to deliver its largest year since launch.
This is all highly unusual — even by Kendall Jenner standards.
When it launched in early 2021, 818 was among the first wave of celebrity-backed tequilas to hit the market, rolling out on liquor store shelves alongside launches from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana and Kevin Hart’s Gran Coramino. Kendall Jenner’s brand didn’t set out to reinvent the formula. It debuted with a Blanco, Reposado and Anejo priced at $45, $55 and $65, respectively. Though the label did introduce a limited-edition “Eight Reserve” in 2022, its portfolio has remained otherwise unchanged for over four years.
Much has changed in the industry since. Celebrities have oversaturated the market with dozens of competing products, precipitating the rise of so-called “craft” tequila brands that eschew A-listers altogether. Beer, wine and spirits sales are sliding across the board, and even Kendall Jenner herself recently pivoted into the world of nonalcoholic drinks with an equity stake investment in Trip.
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So how did 818 manage a comeback in 2026?
The answer most likely lies with spirits giant Sazerac, which signed on as 818’s exclusive US sales and distribution partner last April. Best known in high-end whiskey circles for bourbon brands like Buffalo Trace and Pappy Van Winkle, the Louisiana-based conglomerate also owns a range of convenience store staples like Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort and Parrot Bay.
The company made headlines in early 2024 when it purchased canned cocktail brand BuzzBallz for a reported $500 million. A little over two years later, BuzzBallz is now the best-selling beverage in the American ready-to-drink market, outpacing the runner-up — Anheuser-Busch’s BeatBox — by an over $250 million margin.
From the looks of it, Sazerac has applied the same winning formula to Kendall Jenner’s booze venture. The brand says that it’s working closely alongside the company to expand distribution, strengthen retail presence and bring 818 to more consumers across the United States. In other words, expect to see a lot more of 818 in months and years to come — whether it’s a billboard, a flashy celebrity crossover or a cardboard cutout of Jenner in your neighborhood liquor store.
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Source: “AOL Money”
