COVID-19 shaping alcohol trends: At-home cocktail crafting and artisan takes on classic drinks

04 Aug 2021 --- The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of consumers’ habits, and the way people buy and consume foods and beverages is no exception to this overhaul. Consumer sentiment, needs and interest have been impacted by unprecedented times, sparking change in the alcohol arena.

With lockdown restrictions curtailing travel plans, preventing dining out, and with limits on social gatherings, the premium spirit category has exploded in popularity as consumers are now making their favorite mixed drinks at home.

Crafting cocktails
According to Advanced Biotech, a US-based flavors supplier, consumers have turned the process of crafting cocktails into a hobby. 

“Artisan takes on classic drinks like spicy jalapeno margaritas, smoky old fashioned with mezcal, and gin spritzers infused with natural botanicals like rosemary and grapefruit are fueling the premium category as many are looking to recreate these enhanced cocktails to recreate a bar or restaurant experience,” the company affirms. 

Advanced Biotech predicts that post-pandemic consumers’ appetite for premium products will continue to grow.Many consumers are using the money they would have spent on holidays or commuting to fund their new interests in quality food and beverage ingredients.  

The company also predicts that post-pandemic consumers’ appetite for premium products will continue to grow.

RTD concepts spotlighted
Meanwhile, ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails are surging in popularity, with Advanced Biotech seeing a rise in consumers looking for convenient ways to consume beverages.

Notably, these convenient and portable formats are suited to outdoor venues that allow for social distancing. 

“With many gatherings now taking place outdoors in parks, on rooftops and backyards, pre-mixed versions of crowd-pleasing cocktails like minty mojitos, ginger-infused Moscow mules, and spiced rum and coke are rising in consumer engagement,” the company states. 

New twists on cocktails featuring natural ingredients such as basil, peach, passion fruit, and coconut also garnering consumers’ interest with more adventurous palates. 

Skyrocketing in popularity over the last year, Advanced Biotech believes there will be further innovation in the RTD beverage arena.

“Premium callouts, interesting flavors and conveniently canned cocktails will continue to reign supreme and shape the beverage industry for years to come,” they say.

The tastes of summer
It’s without a doubt that younger consumers, Millenials and Gen Z specifically, are driving the need for innovation in the RTD alcohol sector. Notably, innovation in flavors is flourishing due to a rise in demand for refreshing flavors which target summer evenings. 

To respond to these market trends, Dallant, a Spain-based flavor supplier, proposes different aromatic solutions for various RTD beverages, such as alcopops, flavored cocktails, wine products and hard seltzers. 

The company says, “Within each type of RTD, we have a wide variety of aromatic proposals adapted to each product concept, with refreshing flavor. Some of them are more aimed at the summer season, as is the case with the mixed drink, a mixture of a refreshing flavored drink and wine with different fruit flavors or with a mojito flavor.”

“In the case of the hard seltzer, we also have botanical flavors, besides the fruit trees, such as rhubarb or floral.”

Last month, Synergy Flavours launched Inspiring Fruits, a collection of fruit essences and natural flavors. The company is tapping into the hard seltzer boom with the launch and offering added naturalness to the RTD alcohol category.RTD cocktails are surging in popularity thanks to a rise in consumers looking for convenient ways to consume alcoholic beverages.

Investing in hard seltzers category
Molson Coors, a US multinational drink and brewing company headquartered in Chicago, says it doubled its share in the hard seltzer category in the US during Q2.

The company is eliminating 11 “economy” brands and discontinuing around 100 SKUs in a bid to streamline its US portfolio and focus on higher-end brands.

The eliminated brands are Milwaukee’s Best Premium, Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, Keystone Ice, Hamm’s Special Light, Keylightful, Icehouse Edge, Magnum, Mickey’s Ice, High Life Light, Steel Reserve 211 and Olde English HG 8000.

The company says it’s working with distributors that will be impacted by the end of certain brands.

“Premiumization is here to stay at Molson Coors,” says Gavin Hattersley, chief executive of Molson Coors 

“We’re going to invest bigger behind our fast-growing global hard seltzer portfolio. And we’re going to streamline our smaller portfolio of legacy brands permanently.”

Among the brands on a growth trajectory are Vizzy hard seltzer, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, distributed in partnership with Coca-Cola Co. KO, +0.07 percent, and Zoa, an energy drink created with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Sundowners before supper?
Meanwhile, UK high-end grocer Waitrose has reported an uplift in sales of aperitifs as consumers embrace the summer months while working from home and serving up sundowners before supper.  

The company has seen sales of Aperol up 148 percent, Martini Extra Dry Vermouth up 33 percent and Pampelle Grapefruit Aperitif up 4,850 percent compared to last year.  

UK consumers are also whipping up Espresso Martinis for a caffeine kick, with recipe searches up 148 percent and sales of Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur up 51 percent. 

“With many of us now spending our summer break closer to home, we see strong demand for ‘summer type serves’ which are quick and easy to do,” says John Vine, spirit buyer at Waitrose. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green