Ahead of our next week’s event on trade trends and the future for late-night bars, here we are discussing the expected drinks trends for 2022.
The drinks industry is experiencing a big change with the return to pre-Covid life as restrictions are lifted. However, with the growth of eCommerce and a focus on sustainability in the wake of COP26, brands need to keep up with the trends to stay relevant. Below we will cover the top drink trends for 2022.
Gin
Gin was the spirit of recent years. Regardless of the pandemic, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association reported a 22% rise in sales from the previous year. However, while we expect gin to remain popular in 2022, there is an increased interest in Vodka and Whiskey. Therefore, time will tell if its demand will continue, but industry experts suggest that consumers might be looking for other spirits to enjoy.
Tequila
This is the number one trend predicted for the next few years. Experts suggest that several factors impact the growth of interest in the spirits industry, but education is the key one. Several large companies such as Proximo Spirits, have put a big emphasis into education and advocacy. This has significantly helped with sharing the message of Tequila, consumers can see the unique process of making it, positively impacting their decision making and changing their buying habits.
Whilst some bars still serve tequila in the old-fashioned shot, lime and salt manner, trends from America are coming across Europe including Tequila mixed with soda or tonic. Also, the rising interest in Mexican cuisine across the UK in recent years has allowed consumers to discover how well Tequila can be paired with food.
Premiumisation
According to Bacardi’s 2022 cocktail trend report, 50% of bartenders globally reported that customers opt out for more premium drinks. Aster Sadler, co-founder of award–winning eco-distillery Wildjac, claims that health plays a big part in this shift towards premium products.
“Consumers have become more health conscious, so they will continue to drink a little less, but higher quality – looking for premium drinks and spirits that they can take their time to enjoy.”
Cognac is also benefiting from this move to premium. It has been seen that Cognac is long overdue for a revival, so we will see if 2022 is the year it really takes off.
Low and No Alcohol Range
Low and No Alcohol products are anticipated to continue in popularity. Research from London’s International Wine and Spirit Research (IWSR) shows that more than half of consumers (58%) buying low/no products chose to switch to reduced alcohol products rather than going fully sober. Drinks such as non-alcoholic beer and the French Bloom’s 0% sparkling wine are coming onto the UK market. Also, products like spirits expect to see reduced alcohol versions of ingredients like vermouth used in the making of cocktails.
Sustainability
Sustainability continues to be key in 2022 as customers are looking for brands that are committed to protecting the earth and our environment. With the COP26 fresh in consumers’ minds, they will keep wanting to see more evidence of action taken towards sustainability. Packaging is also a hot topic in the industry and actions like The Savoy moving to sustainable suppliers like EcoSPIRITS only show that progress is possible. EcoSPIRITS uses low to waste technology to eliminate more than 90% of transport and packaging carbon emissions.
Drinks Packaging and eCommerce
Changes in drinks packaging, for delivery, on-trade as well as direct-to-consumer market are expected. Think magnums, half bottles, and bag-in-box wines. For instance, boxed wine’s sales skyrocketed during the pandemic in 2020 and reports show that this trend continued well into 2021.
The ready-to-drink cocktail brand company “The Cocktails Society” is incorporating pouches as a delivery option. This not only expands the range of sizes, but it also makes delivery easier which will be key to the continuously growing eCommerce. According to IWSR, the total value of the eCommerce sector is anticipated to increase significantly by 66% over the next 5 years.
To find out more and meet one of the biggest names in the spirits industry attend our Titans Talk on the 24th of February at the Gibson. Don’t forget to reserve your tickets! https://www.hospitalitytitans.co.uk/event/trade-trends-and-the-future-for-late-night-bars/
