With the change of the clocks and British summer time nearly upon us, the global beverage flavour expert, MONIN, has shared the findings from their annual Summer Drinks Trends Report to help venues prepare for the warmer months ahead.
With the pandemic in our rear-view mirror and following a tricky few years for the hospitality industry, things are looking somewhat brighter. But with the cost-of-living crisis hitting households hard, MONIN has shared the findings of its 2022/23 report to help operators prepare for the summer and get ahead of the trends.
The report, which identifies the key trends that are driving consumers’ purchasing decisions, as well as the most popular flavours and drinks formats, was launched via an online webinar.
The future is bright
For the pub, bar and coffee shop sector, things are looking up. Almost half (47%)1 of hospitality leaders are confident about their prospects over the next year, and whilst the current economic climate means consumers are visiting such outlets less, there’s now a focus on quality over quantity, with 44% of consumers now considering high quality when it comes to choosing what to drink2. Furthermore, consumers are looking at the wider experience, with 78%1 agreeing they are more likely to visit a venue if it offers live music.
The coffee shop sector
The branded coffee shop market is now worth £4.9 billion, growing by 12% in the past 12 months, and the number of outlets has increased by 4.4% in this time too1. With this in mind, the future is looking promising. This is down to many factors, but the sector’s openness to experiment and quickly diversify to the changing climate is crucial to success. The rise in drive thrus, takeaways and in-store automation during the pandemic is a good example of this.
Lee Hyde, senior beverage expert at MONIN, comments: “Despite the current, difficult economic climate, coffee is still seen as an affordable luxury, or a treat that consumers are willing to invest in. Customisation continues to be on the rise, including milk alternatives, syrups and whipped creams, and most Brits agree to ‘sometimes’ customising their coffee and 19% even agree to ‘often’ pay extra for customisation1.This presents outlets with an exciting opportunity to get creative with their coffee offering, building a mix and match menu to suit seasonal flavour preferences.”
Their research also revealed that iced coffee is here to stay, especially with a younger audience. In fact, almost 1 in 10 under 35s drink iced coffee every day, even in the winter months1. Whereas just 1% of over 55s have the same habit1. It’s key for venues to perfect their iced drinks offering, including them as a year-round menu staple, and upselling seasonal flavour variations to keep things fresh.
The bubble tea trend also shows no sign of stopping (or popping!). The UK bubble tea market, which first kicked off in 2011, is set to grow by 8.5% YOY over the next decade1, meaning now is the prime time for venues to diversify and offer bubble tea to their guests.
Other key insights include:
· The latte is the nation’s favourite coffee shop beverage, followed closely by the cappuccino and hot chocolate.
· Caramel is the UK’s preferred syrup flavour, followed by vanilla, salted caramel and hazelnut.
· Hot chocolate is now the 3rd most ordered coffee shop beverage, showing a key opportunity for outlets to diversify their hot chocolate offering to include different flavours and textures.
The cocktail sector
When it comes to cocktails, there is a huge opportunity for outlets looking ahead to 2023, especially in the upcoming summer months. Almost 1 in 3 consumers will choose to drink a cocktail out of home1, and bars, pubs and even coffee shops are building their cocktail offerings. In fact, in the last year, there’s been a 50% increase in venues stocking cocktail ingredients1.
Hyde continues, “When looking at the popularity of cocktails compared to the time of year, summer is the go-to season. 93% prefer to drink cocktails in the summer1, giving venues the perfect opportunity to build their offering now, so they’re prepared for the warmer months ahead.
Tequila & Mexican-inspired drinks are set to be big, with Palomas, Picantes and Margarita Twists on the rise. Venues should look to weave these types of drinks into their offering or use them as a basis if building a cocktail from scratch.
Many outlets diversified in the pandemic, building their takeaway offerings and installing new equipment, such as slushy machines, to excite customers and keep them coming through the door. With summer on the horizon, cocktail slushies, such as frozen Piña Coladas, are set to be big news to cut through the heat, especially for any heat waves the UK will experience.
Other key insights include:
· Pornstar Martini leads the charge as the most popular cocktail order, followed by the Mojito and Sex on the Beach1, driven by sales in volume-driving chains.
· Daiquiris, lavoured Martinis and Spritzes are gaining popularity
· At independent and high-end venues, classic cocktails such as Negronis and Old Fashioneds creep would be more commonly seen in the top 10 most popular orders.
