BRANDS REPORT
Who’s earning their place at the club bar?
Top club brands revealed
CASK MADE EASY•CIDER REPORT•DRIVING SALES•CLUB AWARDS TICKETS
CLUB EPOS - Control System
Club Mirror Brands Report
Club Mirror’s annual Brands Report provides an overview of the whole UK drinks category and reveals which brands are earning their place at the club bar. The information is in collaboration with long-term partner CGA by NIQ and is taken from its OPM service. The brands were ranked on the volume MAT 2024 Period 5, ending 18 May, 2024 as reported in the Sports/ Social Club channel.
The On Trade
While the On Trade has moved on from the dark days of Covid-19, Clubland, like every part of this sector is of course still facing challenges.
The impact of increased prices of 2023 is beginning to mitigate but are still a substantial challenge to the consumer and their leisure spend capability, as well as to businesses which see rising costs in several crucial areas such as wages and energy.
Clubland maintains durability
While a number of club premises’ trading is down, it is in line with the rest of the On Trade. In terms of wet sales, as a guide for the overall business, these have held up well compared to 2023. Admittedly there may be some negative influence on the early part of the previous 12 months (June22 to May 23), actual wet trade trend is in line with Free Trade Pubs at ca -1%.
Only Managed pubs have outperformed Clubland.
Over the last 12 months Clubland served an estimated 1.12 billion drinks which was a small
decline of 3.9%. However, taking into account the reduction in premises, on an average outlet level serves were up 1.2% at 57,000 serves per outlet. Clubland’s wet trade on the same basis is up ca 4.5% and looks to be one of the best performances of the seven channels.
Looking at the three draught Long Alcoholic Drinks categories, they all had strong performances this year. In the longer term, all three performed better in 2024 than against the long-term trend shown against 2016’s Report. Could this be a fightback over the long-term winners, namely White Spirits and Liqueurs and Specialities, which have had the best growth generally over the last 10 years? We shall see next year.
Clubland is incredibly resilient and provides exemplary service to their membership. They develop opportunities to entertain, serve and help their communities. It has ever been that way and evidence appears to show that this is still a given in Clubland.
The Brands Report
The report is presented in 10 product categories. In each, the top five brands, by annual sales volume, are shown in order of magnitude. The next 10 brands reported are shown in alphabetical order. The relative positions of the top five brands are shown with a ranking for this year and last year. The top five reported brands carry a movement statistic the shows where it sits this year in respect to last year.
The categories’ retail value is used to show the overall mix. It can be seen as a measure of scale within the overall drinks market. It has been calculated from the current annual retail value.
Order of categories
The value of each category is shown as a percentage of all drinks sales value for Clubland.
an
CHAMPION BEER
Brewed longer to a unique recipe using pale, amber and crystal malts, making it a full flavoured, smooth and mature beer.
Draught Lagers
Brand Ranking
Carling
Madri Excepcional
Foster’s
Coors
San Miguel
Amstel
Birra Moretti
Birrificio Angelo Poretti
Carlsberg Danish Pilsner
Cruzcampo
Heineken Premium
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Staropramen
Stella Artois
Tennents
Top 5 Brands
Brands 6 to 15 (shown in alphabetical order)
Draught Lager is the biggest category market in Clubland and in the last 12 months one that has performed ahead of the overall Clubland average. It was the third strongest performing category overall.
Carling has been a leading brand in GB On Trade for many years and the same is true in Clubland. Other brands are relatively stable, with movement up or down being by mostly just a place.
As ever though there are some exceptions. Madri Exceptional makes it into the top 5 since its 2021 launch. The other sizeable place gain comes from another Spanish-influenced brand Cruzcampo which has joined the top 15.
The lager market is undoubtedly a global battleground encompassing brands initially sourced from, Australia, Canada, USA, Spain, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Czech Republic with Tennents, the sole UK-originated brand from Scotland. In terms of broader visibility, all of these countries have recently been involved in the T20 Cricket World Cup or the Euro 24 Football Tournament.
• Madri Exceptional makes it to Number 2 since its 2021 launch.
• Cruzcampo joins the top 15.
• Tennents is the sole UK-originated brand to hit the top 15.
CGA by NIQ, OPM Sports/Social Clubs2024 P5 18/05/2024 Volume MAT
BEERS & CIDERS: We stock a wide selection from the nation’s most popular and trusted brands as well as our innovative range of modern beers and traditional cask ales.
WINES: We o昀er a globally sourced selection, carefully curated by our wine experts. Our team will provide a tailored range recommendation for your venue.
SPIRITS: A comprehensive range of spirits from all the leading brands, alongside a premium range of specialist spirits and liquors to intrigue your most discerning customers.
MINERALS: We o昀er a complete range of leading brand minerals, waters and premium soft drinks and mixers for all audiences.
Preferential rates for CIU members, quote CLUB23
Call us on 0345 850 4545 To find out more visit www.valueforvenues.co.uk or scan the QR Code and retaining customers. We know which drinks drive profit and can o昀er expert advice to find the perfect brand mix for your venue and bottom line.
Everything your venue needs, in one place.
Draught Ales and Stout
Brand
Guinness
John Smith’s
Worthington’s
Greene King IPA
Beavertown Neck Oil Session IPA
Belhaven Best
Caffrey’s
Fuller’s London Pride
Greene King Ice Breaker
Marston’s Pedigree
Sharp’s Atlantic Pale Ale
Sharp’s Doom Bar
Stones Bitter
Tetley’s
Wainwright Gold
Ranking
Top 5 Brands Brands
6 to 15 (shown in alphabetical order)
If Lager is a global market then ales are quintessentially a British Isles category. Over the last year this category has seen sales fall, but only at a modest rate.
The leading ales are supplied by more than six brewers and could be seen as more competitive than for Lager. That said, the top four brands are not only unchanged but retain the same position as they had last year. Four of them are long-term established, appearing in the top six of the 2016 Brands Report.
This year, knocking Tetley’s off 2023’s top five position is Beavertown Neck Oil, regarded as a new brand with the “Craft” credentials that are largely behind the stronger performance in ales generally.
In the 6th to 15th positions there are a couple of new entrants namely Greene King’s Ice Breaker and Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company’s traditional cask brand Wainwright Gold.
Many of the top brands have a long heritage such as Marston’s Pedigree, Fuller’s London Pride, Tetley’s, Stones and Greene King IPA. All have regional strengths and a history that dates back in some cases, well over 200 years, with some of the oldest brewers being amongst the most forward thinking.
It is heritage that largely defines ales to cus tomers, with locality a strong second.
• John Smith’s, created in 1852, and a Clubland stalwart.
• In 1759, Arthur Guinness signed an astonishing 9,000 year lease on his Dublin brewery.Always looking forward, today’s brewers explore new recipes at the company’s Open Gate Brewery taproom.
• In May this year, Greene King announced it is to invest £40m in a new state-ofthe-art brewery in Bury St Edmunds, where it has been brewing since 1799.
• Vibrant brand Beavertown Neck Oil has reached the top five position this year.
CGA by NIQ, OPM Sports/Social Clubs2024 P5
Volume MAT
Draught Cider
Brand Ranking
Thatchers Gold
Strongbow
Inchs
Strongbow Dark Fruit
Carling Black Fruit Cider
Aspall Cyder
Carling British Cider
Magner’s Dark Fruit
Magner’s Original Sharp’s Cold River Cider
Somersby Blackberry Cider
Somersby Cider
Stowford Press
Thatchers Haze
Thatchers Traditional
5
6 to 15
(shown in alphabetical order)
Within Clubland Draught Cider was the strongest performing category in 2024 against 2023. Overall growth was returned at 3.1% for volume and 4.9% for sales revenue. On the longer-term view Draught Cider has had a successful decade and grown consistently throughout.
As with ales, ciders are almost exclusively a British Isles drink. Ciders have similarly developed several subcategories and all are represented in the top 15. Long term established GB brands, like Strongbow, have been joined by what were regional made ciders in the national consciousness.
Thatchers Gold is the leading example and joined in recent years by Inch’s, which this year has nudged Strongbow Dark Fruit off its number 3 slot. Fruit Cider variants began to appear substantially in the early part of the 21st century. There are now four making it into this year’s top 15.
Over recent decades Magners has been the most successful entry into the GB market from the Republic of Ireland. The market has also witnessed newer brand developments such as Carling Cider, expansion of older brands like Aspall Cyder and revivalist activity, for example Somersby.
Ciders, as with ales, is a competitive offering and presents tremendous choice to Clubland’s bar across the country.
Packaged Long Alcoholic Drinks
Packaged Long Alcoholic Drinks (LADs) represent 6.9% by sales value as well as a remarkably diverse product category across Clubland, with a staggering 545 brands appearing in the 2024 data. This is the highest number across all categories and covers eight different styles of drinks.
Packaged often highlights new trends and styles and perhaps a most significant entry belongs to Heineken 0.0. This is the first recorded entry of a NAB/LAB (no and low alcohol beers) into a category top 15.
The volatility of the category is also evident. While the top five brands were all in the top five last year, none occupy the same position as in 2023.
Perhaps the last broad observation to note is that in the top 15 there are 11 countries from around the globe repre sented. This gives clubs a great opportunity to showcase these global brands when relevant occasions are aired, for example the Eurovision Song Contest or major sports tournaments.
Brand
Magners Original
Kopparberg Mixed Fruits
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Corona Extra
Budweiser
Bulmers
Coors
Guinness
Heineken 0.0
Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime
Newcastle Brown Ale
Old Mout Cider – Berries & Cherries
Old Mout Cider – Pineapple & Raspberry
Rekorderlig Wildberries WKD
6 to 15
(shown in alphabetical order)
Soft Drinks
In at number one, Coca Cola reinforced its place on the global stage as a Worldwide Partner of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Schweppes, founded 241 years ago in 1783, is a consistent presence in the annual Brands Report.
History was made 41 years ago with the creation of Diet Coke. Within two years, it had become the world’s favourite light cola.
Pepsi Max made its UK debut in 1993; 31 years later and it’s Clubland’s fourth favourite soft drink.
In revenue terms Soft Drinks are the second biggest category for Clubland.
6 to 15
(shown in alphabetical order)
Two global players dominate the category. Firstly, The Coca-Cola Company, who have five in the top 15. The famous Britvic brand has been acquired by the Carlsberg Group this year. These combined have seven brands in the top 15.
Coca Cola has hit the number one slot, nudging Schweppes into second. Diet Coke retains its number three slot, while Pepsi Max has leaped in at number four. With R Whites now relegated to fifth position, J2O has in turn been knocked off the top five slot.
In some respects Soft Drinks is the least competitive category across Clubland, except that there are many product categories within this overall umbrella*. It transpires that in some of these categories neither of the big two players appear, for example energy drinks, where Red Bull, Suntory and Lucozade are pre-eminent, and mixers, where Fever Tree has driven itself into the category between the long-term main stream offerings from Britvic and Schweppes.
*A number of categories are not represented in this category, including water and squash.
CGA by NIQ, OPM Sports/Social Clubs2024 P5 18/05/2024 Volume MAT
Dark Spirits
Brand Ranking
Captain Morgan
Jack Daniel’s
Famous Grouse
Bells
Courvoisier
Bacardi
Havana
Hennessy
Jameson
Johnnie Walker
Jules Clarion
Kraken Martell
Remy Martin
Whyte & Mackay
Top 5 Brands Brands
6 to 15
(shown in alphabetical order)
The Dark Spirits category is, in value terms, one of the smaller 10 categories. That is largely a consequence of the longterm rise of its counterpart spirits category. Overall volumes fell against 2023 by -9.5%. There has still been a great deal of innovation in the recent past and the brands have benefited from the Cocktail revival of the 2000s onwards. Overall, the leading brands have proved to be stable. That level of stability can be seen with this year’s club-favourites being the same as last year, and all five brands were also in the top 5 in 2016, albeit not the same order. Kraken, first launched in 2010, and Jules Clarion had the greatest movement in 2024, first launched in 2010.
CGA by
White Spirits
Brand
Smirnoff
Gordon’s
Absolut
Whitley
Beefeater
Bombay
Eristoff
Glens
Grey
Jose
Tanqueray
Zamoyski
Ranking
Top 5
Brands
Brands
6 to 15
(shown in alphabetical order)
Clubland’s leading white spirits at the bar remain entirely consistent, with Smirnoff, Gordon’s and Bacardi in the same top three slots as last year.
Brand loyalty is evident with these top three, maintaining their relative places at club bars since 2016.
The only changes in the top five are Absolut Vodka and Whitley Neill Gins swapping places this year.
The biggest movement in the top 15 comes from Grey Goose, the premium vodka brand.
Wine (Still & Sparkling)
6 to 10 (shown in alphabetical order)
The least branded category in the On Trade, wines do trade mostly on their vineyard, varietal, colour and country of origin. Importantly though, some key brands have developed in the category, and it would appear that these key brands would do well to pay attention to their loyal customers in Clubland for this very reason.
In brand terms Jack Rabbit retains its top spot yet again. Pier 42 and Blossom Hill swap places, with Oliver & Greg’s moving up one place to fourth. One 4 One has broken into the top five for the first time.
On to Sparkling Wines and Champagnes, and it can be seen that the top five are again consistent favourites with clubs and their members. The one change sees Ponte heading the list this year.
Champagne & Sparkling Ranking
CGA by NIQ, OPM Sports/Social Clubs2024 P5 18/05/2024 Volume MAT
CGA by NIQ, OPM Sports/Social Clubs2024 P5 18/05/2024 Volume MAT
Fortified Wines & Vermouth
Brand Ranking
Martini
Cockburn’s
Harveys
Cinzano
Taylor’s
Crabbies
Croft
ROC
Stones Original
Yates Original Australian fortified wine
Top 5 Brands Brands 6 to 10 (shown in alphabetical order)
The smallest category in Clubland, but one that is being maintained, albeit without the substantial support they received back in their hey-days of the 1970s and early 80s.
That said, the top brands remain extremely well known and ever present in Clubland.
There are three main sub-categories, Vermouth, Port and Sherry. Long may they be part of Clubland and the On Trade in the wider context. Could there yet be a revival for their distinctive and individual
The Top five brands have a loyal following, maintaining their top positions at the club bar.
Liqueurs & Specialities
Strong volume and sales value performance in this category returning year on year trends of -1.4% and +4.5% ranking it the second-best performing category overall in Clubland. It is of course not the biggest, being 8th by value, but this trading strength can provide opportunity.
Undoubtedly the Cocktail development will help this category as it has for spirits. The top five brands remain broadly as they were in 2023 apart from the new entry for Tequila Rose – echoing its increasing popularity across the on trade as a shot. The top three brands Antica, Sourz and Bailey’s retain their respective positions.
Looking back to 2016 Aperol, Jack Daniels Tennessee, Kahlua were not in the top brands list. All have been brought on with successful marketing campaigns and changes in consumer tastes.
Top 5 Brands Brands 6 to 15 (shown in alphabetical order)
The top three brands, Antica, Sourz and Baileys, retain their 2023 positions.
Vibrant brand Aperol hits the top 15 in 2024’s Brands Report.
New entrant this year, the Brands Report welcomes Tequila Rose, in at number four.
CGA by NIQ, OPM Sports/Social Clubs2024 P5 18/05/2024 Volume MAT
tickets
Clubland event
Excitement mounts as the Club Awards team prepares to welcome this year’s finalists, guests and celebrities to Athena in Leicester on November 27.
Come along and cheer on the club finalists and enjoy some fun and a spectacular gala dinner along the way. And if you haven’t been to a Club Awards yet, then turn the page for a rewind to last year’s event. It’s too good to miss!
TICKETS
Tickets are available to purchase as follows:
• Club Awards Category finalists 2 x complimentary tickets
• Individual tickets
£99 (£82.50 + VAT)
• Tables of 10 for finalists
£792 (£660 + VAT)
(Includes 2 x complimentary tickets for finalists)
• Tables of 10 for non-finalist clubs
£999 (£825.00 + VAT)
•
• Drinks reception (6pm-7pm)
• Club Awards Gala Dinner (7pm - late)
• Club Awards presentations, hosted by John Inverdale
• Post dinner entertainment
• Carriages - 1am
Welcome to the Club Awards
Couldn’t join us in 2023? Then don’t miss out this year! Enjoy this rewind to last year’s drinks reception for finalists, club guests, club associations, dignitaries and sponsors as Leicester lit up for a night of celebration, in preparation for the main event – the Club Awards. See you there?
