This article was initially published in the October issue of Global Drinks Intel magazine. For details on how to subscribe, click here.
Growing demand for premium and low-ABV drinks is shaping Europe’s cocktail scene — both in the on-premise channel and in at-home consumption. Jaq Bayles reports.
Despite lockdown-induced closures across Europe in 2020 and 2021, demand for cocktails in the on-premise since reopening remains strong. According to CGA’s most recent report on cocktails in Europe, 28% of consumers opt for such a drink when out.
This is higher than the global average of 25% that CGA recorded in its worldwide research. Italy leads the charge, with 36% of on-premise visitors choosing cocktails — the country also arguably kickstarted the current cocktail boom with the aperitif occasion, led by the Aperol Spritz, which CGA ranks as “the most ubiquitous cocktail in any of the countries surveyed by CGA, ahead of classics like the Caipirinha in Brazil (drunk by 72% of Brazilian cocktail drinkers), the Daiquiri in Argentina (67%) and the Margarita in Mexico (66%)”.
The trends shaking up Europe
If any trends unite the whole continent, it’s premiumisation and low- & no-alcohol.
“Premiumisation was already a trend before the pandemic, but now it’s really taken off,” according to Bacardi’s advocacy director for Western Europe, Australia & New Zealand, Daniel Demke. “People are looking to treat themselves to more premium spirits and cocktails, so they can fully enjoy the experience, the taste and the quality.
“Consumers are also increasingly enjoying longer drinks which are lower in alcohol, and drinks with natural ingredients,” Demke adds. “This mindful-drinking trend was with us before the pandemic and it’s only growing, with expectations now higher than ever for no & low cocktails. We’re seeing big success for Martini Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo because it allows people to drink more mindfully, without any compromise on quality or flavour, and that’s key right now. Overly sweet mocktails or flavourless no & low cocktails are a thing of the past.”
Jakob Vallentin, founder of Nordic Gin House, puts the lower-alcohol trend down to the pressure of work for the older generations and the pressure of performing in academia for the younger ones. While the latter have felt the need to let off steam after a couple of years of being locked away, the tendency is to keep that to the weekends, he says.
“You definitely have a summer season and you have a winter season,” Vallentin adds. “Of course, in the summertime, people seem to drink a little bit lighter than in the dark period of Europe. I think that drinks like the Paloma are quite interesting and developing quite nicely. But also, less alcohol is very popular in general.”
Emilie Giffard, sales & brand development manager for North Europe at the eponymous liqueurs brand, agrees: “A cocktail trend we have noticed across European countries is premiumisation; consumers are looking for better quality. Low-ABV cocktails, like a spritz or a highball, are popular at the moment.
“We’ve also seen that consumers are personalising famous serves with new flavours. Take Mules, for example — they originate from the classic Moscow Mule (vodka, lime juice, ginger beer) and have now been twisted in many ways, making them more popular. Giffard uses the term ‘tweak your tipple’ to encourage consumers to adapt established cocktail serves like a Spritz using different flavour combinations from the Giffard liqueur range.”
Cocktails benefit from COVID
The pandemic has heightened awareness of cocktails among consumers, Giffard argues. Partly, this was due to the rise of DIY cocktails during lockdowns, but it has led to people “consuming cocktails much more in the on-trade” than they did pre-pandemic, while at-home consumption is still high.
Giffard says the Spritz is a popular serve across Europe and is “appreciated for its refreshing qualities, low ABV and festive feeling”. She says that specific trends have taken hold in certain countries. In the UK, the Pornstar Martini, Espresso Martini, Spritz and Negroni are popular, while in France, it’s all about the Spritz and Gin & Tonic.
It’s no surprise that the Negroni and Spritz are the go-to cocktails in Italy, “where these drinks were born” and are “very well-established”, says Giffard. The Spritz is also making waves in Germany and the Nordics, where elderflower and rhubarb cocktails are also trending.
For Bacardi’s Demke, the top three cocktails right now are the Spritz, the Negroni and the Martini — the Classic Martini, the Espresso Martini and the Passionfruit [Pornstar] Martini.
“Classic cocktails will always be a staple of any menu, but I would definitely highlight the Negroni as the classic cocktail with the biggest momentum across Europe,” he says. “It fits perfectly into the ‘drink less but better’ trend as people choose to enjoy perfectly crafted cocktails made with top-quality spirits. In the UK, we’re seeing the Passionfruit Martini cocktail have a huge rise in popularity — it’s on cocktail menus everywhere.”
There also appears to be a move towards cocktail simplification, which in turn feeds into the rising move towards greater sustainability in bars.
“Bartenders are moving away from complex, fussy cocktails with lots of decoration or garnish,” asserts Demke. “Instead, they’re letting the quality of the cocktail — its ingredients, flavour and aromas — speak for itself, with more minimalist presentations. It’s all part of the premiumisation trend, and at the same time, cuts down on waste — something bartenders are increasingly focused on.
“That said, when it suits the occasion and the venue, we still see elements like quirky vessels and liquid smoke being used to create exciting theatre around a cocktail.”
Sustainability is high on many brand owners’ agendas. Marissa Johnston, global head of Diageo World Class, trade & social advocacy: “With the pandemic and increased awareness of climate change, we’re all more conscious of our impact on the world around us. It’s why this World Class was our first-ever carbon-neutral event. It’s also why we’re seeing an increase in the use of local ingredients and garnishes, a near-zero tolerance for plastic straws and a huge resurgence in the popularity of closed-loop cocktails.
“It’s something Diageo is extremely passionate about; it was the core element of our ‘Ketel One Garnished With Good’ challenge, which tasked competitors with creating a cocktail that has a positive impact on the community around them. As a business, we’ve publicly outlined a series of ESG goals in our ten-year sustainability action plan, ‘Spirit of Progress’.”
Premix cocktails on the move
Given the increase in at-home consumption of cocktails, consumers have chosen to extend social off-premise occasions to outdoor venues such as parks and beaches, as well as live events, giving rise to the production of RTD cocktails in convenient formats, from pouches to cans.
Last year, Bacardi launched the premix Bacardi Mojito in a can, while Zamora Co released its Licor 43 Carajillo RTD, citing the growth in coffee cocktails around the world and particularly the Carajillo, which has become a “flagship for Licor 43 in Spain, Mexico and beyond”.
Julian Fernandez, global marketing & innovation director for spirits at Zamora, sees tourism in markets such as Mexico or Brazil, where the Carajillo is in double-digit growth, aiding the growth of such cocktails in European countries, saying: “The Carajillo first gained popularity in Mexico as part of the cultural tradition of enjoying the sobremesa (after-meal) moment. The ‘shaken’ part of the [serving] ritual grows naturally as it improves the taste of the serve, but also gains a lot of attention when prepared and served at the table.
“So, people go to these countries on holiday, fall in love with the way they’ve just tried Licor 43 — possibly for the first time — and replicate the moment when they get home. Our marketing in Germany, for example, focuses on this imagery — summer holiday vibes, easy-going, relaxed social moments with friends.”
Cost of living crisis notwithstanding, cocktails look to continue their upward trajectory throughout Europe — in both in the on-premise and at home — as consumers vow not to take their socialising opportunities for granted again.
This article was initially published in the October issue of Global Drinks Intel magazine. For details on how to subscribe, click here.
