There is plenty of chatter online and on the socials about what the top drinks trends will be in 2024. Here’s a quick look at some of them:
SPRITZING IT UP
The spritz trend looks set to continue and diversify as we move towards Summer. BevAlc Insights shared recently that “In 2023 to date, Aperol overtook Bailey’s as the top-selling liqueur on the platform, boasting category share growth of 25 percent year-over-year. Campari, another common spritz ingredient, has also seen four percent share growth year-over-year.”
The growth here could be attributed to several factors that align with current trends – they are a larger drink with a lower alcohol content, the glassware and garnishes mean they look great for social media content, and they have a reputation as a ‘premium’ choice. Tik Tok highlighted a massive trend towards the Hugo Spritz in 2023 but the Aperol Spritz still remained king. Perhaps this year is Hugo’s year or even Campari’s. We also love a Limoncello Spritz.
THE GROWTH OF NOLO
No and Low demand is still climbing and UK charity Drinkaware have reported that the 18-24 age group has the highest rate of non-drinkers, which has risen from 14% in 2017 to 21% in 2023. This customer demand means that this now needs to form part of a venues staple offering all year round. IWSR reports the market “grew by +5% in volume in 2023 and is forecast to grow at a volume CAGR of +6% between 2023 and 2027.” However they are growing from a very small base. Beers account for a large chunk of these statistics but with the larger spirit brands such as such as Tanqueray and Captain Morgan launching 0.0% options in recent years and even alternatives to tequila and aperitifs now available there really is option to replace just about everything. Perhaps this is why we are seeing some bars aiming to mirror every cocktail on their menu with a NoLo alternative. However in Scotland many customers still prefer to opt for a Coke and save themselves the expense.
ASIAN DOMINANCE
Many reports online point towards a trend for towards all things Asian in 2024. A ZMR report anticipates that the global market for Asian foods will exhibit a CAGR of greater than 7.2% until 2028 with these flavours now being adopted by the drinks industry too. This could be using traditional alcoholic beverages such as Korean soju, Japanese shochu or sake or even Chinese baijiu. However, there are also so many Asian flavours to consider that could enhance drinks such as lemongrass, kaffir lime or even yuzu. There is plenty of chatter about Indian whisky too after Indri Diwali Collector’s Edition won the ‘Best In Show, Double Gold’ accolade at the 2023 Whiskies of the World Awards.
WORLD BEER AT THE FOREFRONT
You don’t have to look further than Madri Excepcional to see that if you nail the marketing then your brand will really take off. One of the fastest growing beers in the UK, it has gained more of the market share than any of Molson Coors global brand innovations since the merger in 2005 and they believe they have only just begun to tap into it’s potential. Allan McGhie, Buyer at Inverarity Morton says, “I think we will see the continuation of world lager being king and dominating the business. Draft beer will continue to outgrow packaged, probably due to the ripple effect from waiting to see if DRS actually happened. People are now switched on to having multiple world lager taps on the bar and we are seeing each do a job, very often helping each other, rather than cannibalising each other.”
TEQUILA TREND CONTINUES…
Every years we hear that Tequila is the spirit of the moment, certainly in the USA it has has taken off, could 2024 be the year it really takes off in the UK? Diageo CEO Debra Crew announced plans in The Wall Street Journal to “take tequila around the world” so we should be seeing Margaritas and Palomas galore! Allan McGhie of Inverarity Morton told DRAM, “Premium tequilas such as Patron are still flying and in double digit growth. Although we haven’t seen as quick a climb as we expected from flavour profiles and aging, I would still tip tequila for the most substantial growth and also to stretch out into flavour innovation.”
VEGAN ALTERNATIVES
Statista published data in 2023 stating that now around 4% of UK consumers are vegan and a further 15% are flexitarian or mostly plant based. Scottish companies such as Liquid Oats and Panther Milk have already set the bar when it comes vegan liqueurs, but we are now also beginning to see a move from mixologists to create offerings with plant-based alternatives. It makes sense to cater to this growing market.
AI REVOLUTION
The Bacardi annual Cocktail Trends Report recently stated that 8 out of 10 younger respondents would explore AI recommended drinks, although 60% would miss the human interaction. Bartenders are now able to look at AI algorithms themselves to analyse customer preferences and suggest more personalised drinks which allows for a better customer experience. However, I don’t quite see robots replacing the bartender any time soon.