What’s Next November 2015
Nov. 6, 2015
The millennial consumer’s appetite for not-so-predictable flavors, along with their appreciation for vintage mixology and throwback drinks, will impact both on and off premise businesses this holiday season. A recent U.S. study by Nielson found, “In the spirit aisle, flavors span from the docile to the obscure. Suppliers have pushed the limits from more traditional flavors like vanilla, lemon, sweet tea and cinnamon to plenty of avant-garde options, such as peanut butter and jelly, salmon, pickle, acai, cucumber, horseradish, caramel, marshmallow, cake and apple pie.”
Speak to your customer’s explorative nature this season by having experimental drink ideas on deck.
Adventurous Solution: Punch
With origins in the 17th century where it was served to British sailors as an alternative for beer, Punch is now a modern crowd-pleasing beverage. The Punch of today is a perfect fixture for the holidays either as a recurring bar menu item or as a mainstay of home entertaining. Be sure to have trending ingredients stocked in the next month - everything from classic recipes like the Mother’s Ruin to the more exotic Sparkling Pomegranate could be great wins with the consumer.
Adventurous Flavor: Coconut
Eggnog is a consumer favorite available only 90 days of the year, with demand peaking Thanksgiving week. Help your customers experiment with this classic by testing a Coconut Eggnog recipe or merchandised set. With consumption projected to hit 3.9 billion liters in 2015, Coconut flavor dominates the beverage and food industry, and its creamy texture is making it a great staple for the holidays.
Vintage Mixology
Pay homage to dapper customers of holidays past by serving time-tested drinks like the Commodore, Martini or Old Fashion, which can now be modified with edgy, prohibition-inspired components like rhubarb bitters or sherry. A new generation of LDA consumers is acquiring a palate for these non-sweet alternatives. “While it’s true that millennials have a sweet tooth, evidenced by the growth of dessert-flavored vodkas, sweet is often an entry point into an adult beverage category. The millennial flavor portfolio is much broader than one might expect, typically ranging from sweet to spicy, and flavor often drives their drink selection,” according to National Restaurant Association.
While common holiday beverage flavors like spiked cocoa and mulled wine are still an essential part of business this season, as well as assumed flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, cranberry or peppermint, catering to the consumers’ adventurous spirit is a great opportunity to capture incremental sales.