DRINK TO THAT


hether it’s a lovingly poured pint of craft beer, a well-selected wine to accom- pany a meal, that all-important morn- ing Americano or a refreshing juice, drinks are an essential part of the eating-out experience. As demographics change and consumer


W


tastes diversify, getting the drinks offer right is more of a challenge than ever for operators. The Caterer’s Drinks Guide uses data from on-trade analyst CGA for the year to 29 December 2018* along with other sector reports to look at trends in the market right across the drinks range. Anna Whitwood, CGA client director, says: “Premiumisation continues to be an over- arching trend within licensed venues, and with value outperforming volume across all categories, the role of premiumisation is still clear in the current landscape.”


There are a range of other influences also affecting consumer behaviour. Health is an


increasingly important driver


With Brexit approaching and consumers becoming more health-conscious and budget-savvy, the drinks industry must innovate to thrive. John Porter reports on all the tips and trends to make this a year worth toasting of choice,


although this is affecting the drinks selection in a variety of ways. The increasing number of consumers choosing not to drink alcohol at all is undoubtedly as big a driver of new product development as veganism is in the food sector. Considerable resources have been focused on the burgeoning low- and no-alcohol drinks market and this has seen the launch of many new low- and no-alcohol beer, cider, wine and spirits brands, which clearly sends a challenge to the established soft drinks sector, which is already dealing with the impact of the Soft Drinks Levy. Another response is the increas- ing number of premium soft drinks that come with mocktail-style serving suggestions as part of the packaging.


Also reflecting the health trend, as well as


those consumers who feel the need to rein in their spending, is the tendency to “drink less,


but drink better”. This works to the benefit of sub-categories such as small-batch spirits, craft beers and natural wines where, in some cases at least, the perceived benefits in terms of quality, authenticity and provenance are more relevant to consumer choice than the reality that many such brands are still owned by the big players in the market. It’s not all about worthiness, of course. Ultimately, enjoyment is a key driver of choice in the out-of-home market, and whether that means a well-made cocktail, a visually appeal- ing pink gin, a choice of fruit infusions or a bartop array of craft IPAs and stouts, consumer expectations are clearly higher than ever. That requires operators to invest not only in


their drinks range, but also in staff training, the quality of the dispense and serve, the drinks menus and all the other elements that make up a successful drinks offer.


*DATA SOURCE: CGA’S ON-PREMISE MEASUREMENT SERVICE TO P13 (29/12/2018) UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. THE CATERER’S DRINKS GUIDE 2019 IS COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY JOHN PORTER


www.thecaterer.com


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