UK enjoys cocktail surge

Younger consumers’ thirst for popular favourites such as the Mojito has driven an increase in UK on-trade cocktail sales of over 10% in the last two years, according to a new report.

The Mixed Drinks Report 2014, produced by on-trade analyst CGA Strategy, indicates a 10.8% uplift in cocktail sales since 2012, with more than one in five of the UK’s on-trade outlets now serving them.

Despite ongoing innovation at the top end of the cocktail sector, this growth is being largely driven by the popularity of staples such as the Piña Colada, Woo Woo and Sex on the Beach, all of which are expanding their reach into more “mainstream” venues. The biggest seller of all is the Mojito.

The category is boosted by its almost equal appeal to both genders, with a 54% to 46% balance between female and male drinkers. One particular shift identified by the report lies within the 18-35 year old demographic, where consumers are increasingly choosing to drink cocktails throughout the night rather than just as an aperitif.

Indeed, it is this younger demographic that is driving the category’s growth, with 43% of under-35s saying that they have bought a cocktail in the last week, compared to 36% a year ago.

Among 18-24 year olds, “bomb” cocktails – where a shotglass of spirit is dropped into a mixer, such as the Jägerbomb – are especially popular, with 74% of this age group confirming that they have ordered this type of drink. Even more popular are pitchers, which are drunk by 88% of this same age bracket.

In terms of regional split, London remains the most important area for cocktail sales, although the report also found high concentrations of outlets serving cocktails in Scotland, Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Commenting on the report’s findings, CGA Strategy’s commercial director Tom Lynch said: “Cocktails and the bars and pubs that serve them have been surging in popularity over the last few years and our latest research emphasises just how integrated they’ve become to mainstream drinking.”

He highlighted this category as “a terrific opportunity for bars and pubs to drive footfall and increase spend”, but warned that this would only prove effective “if they can fully understand what customers want from a cocktail menu and give them a consistent experience every time.”

The full report is available from CGA Stategy.