Capitalise on gin sales this summer

THE VERSATILITY OF GIN, COMBINED WITH ITS POPULARITY AMONGST CONSUMERS, MAKES THE SPIRIT A BACKBAR ESSENTIAL IN YOUR VENUE, ESPECIALLY OVER THE BUSIER SUMMER MONTHS.

The rise of at-home cooking and cocktail making in lockdown led to consumers increasing their skills. This means that there is now a rise in expectation when spending their hardearned money in venues. Gin has been a consumer favourite, and seen a sharp rise in popularity, over the past decade, especially in the summer, so it’s essential that your venue hits the mark with your gin offering.

Laura Noguera Presas is the Global Consumer Director at leading gin brand, Puerto de Indias. Speaking on the category’s rise in popularity, Laura commented on flavoured gin, “Although the growth in flavoured gin is reaching its end, it still accounts for over 31.5 of total Gin Volumes. With Puerto de Indias, we bring Spanish spirit to the UK market, with 4 out of 10 tourists recommending the brand to their friends and relatives after visiting Spain.

“We see that the favourite flavour in the UK is still strawberry1, accounting for over 47% of total flavoured gin sales, but new flavours are key in keeping consumer interest. Last year, Puerto de Indias launched a blackberry flavour, becoming the 2nd best Gin innovation in 2022,” added Laura.

The versatility of gin makes it an essential behind-the-bar ingredient for any venue, as it can add a unique flavour to any cocktail creation. Laura tells us that the spirit can be used in conventional classics, or to enhance cocktails which don’t typically feature gin, “The Puerto de Indias range is incredibly versatile, and there is a variant for every occasion that bursts with the natural flavour of fresh ripe fruits for a refreshing and delicious taste.

“We have seen our products used in a variety of cocktails, including everything from the classic Gin & Tonic to a Strawberry Espresso Martini, and twists on a classic Mule for enhanced and delicious flavours. The options are endless and only limited to your imagination. To ensure that bar staff pick the right option, we always recommend gauging a customer’s palate by asking them which flavours they prefer.”

Puerto de Indias are one of the innovators in flavoured gin, being amongst the first to introduce strawberry gin, better known as pink gin, to the category. “Our product distils actual strawberries, and that makes it really special as the sweet taste coming from real fruit gives it a very subtle and pleasant flavour,” Laura added.

Adam von Gootkin is CEO and Co-Founder of Highclere Castle Gin, a stunning product made with botanicals that have been grown at the historic Highclere Castle for centuries. He told us that he predicts that vintage cocktails will continue to be a hit with your customers this summer. “Retro and classic cocktails are really ‘all the rage’, with people revisiting cocktails from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I have also seen some non-traditional innovations in the form of using gin in unconventional cocktails, like the Gineti; replacing the tequila or even replacing the rum with a traditional mojito, which is really refreshing.”

The gin category is packed full of innovative brands that continuously evolve, somehow maintaining popularity with consumers for a long time. Adam recognises that brands have a responsibility to keep the category moving forward, “I think it’s dangerous to follow the crowd. As gin surged in popularity, it became highly saturated in the market. As a category, we need to maintain a real commitment to exceptional quality, first and foremost. Highclere Castle Gin has won over 100 international awards because of this commitment. Even though there might be a lot of gin brands available, we stand out because of our sense of terroir. This includes our botanicals coming from Highclere, being distilled in England’s oldest distillery, and due to the rich history of

Brockmans Orange

KISS SPRITZ

Ingredients

50ml Brockmans Orange Kiss

50ml Sparkling Wine

100ml Pink Grapefruit Soda

10ml Red Aperitif Liqueur (Aperol or similar)

Method

Build in a large wine glass over ice, garnish with orange slice serving gin to VIPs from around the world at Highclere Castle for the past century.”

Brockmans Gin are a leading, fully independent Super Premium British Gin, which was launched in 2008 and achieved phenomenal international success with just one product. Brockmans can now be found in 55 countries.

Carrying on from Adam’s comments, we spoke with Eric Sampers, Global Marketing Director at Brockmans Gin, who agreed that the onus is on the gin brands to keep innovating and pushing boundaries to ensure gin’s continuous popularity. Eric told us, “In 2023, we are launching the very first new sibling to the original Brockmans: Orange Kiss, made with Valencia orange and triple sec to elevate the flavoured gin propositions available on the market. Initial consumer feedback suggests we have an amazing new liquid that will be very popular with consumers.”

In a saturated market, it’s essential that the leading brands offer clear ‘USPs’ to separate themselves from the competition. Eric told us about Brockmans’ unique recipe, “We mix traditional gin botanicals with more unusual ones like dark berries and almond oils, resulting in an incredibly smooth, fruity liquid that can be consumed on its own, in a refreshing G&T or in cocktail creations.

“That DNA of ‘exceptionally easy to drink, yet sophisticated’ liquid has also been applied to our newest creation, Orange Kiss. For a small, independent brand, we have a legion of fans that actively recommend our gin to their friends and family.”

We asked Eric what gin brands need to do to ensure the category remains a favourite in the UK. He told us that it’s all about

DIDSBURY G&T TWISTS:

• Sweet & Sour Twist – Strawberry & Sicilian Lemon Gin, London Essence Co. Grapefruit & Rosemary Tonic, served over raspberries, thyme and lemon slices

• Bramble Spritz – British Bramble Gin, London Essence Co. Tonic Water, served over mint and pink peppercorns

• G to the Gin Spritz – Blood Orange & Ginger Gin, London Essence Co. Blood Orange & Elderflower Tonic, served over orange slices, rosemary and fresh ginger quality, and knowing your target audience. “Gin is becoming a mature category and the thirst for experimentation and novelty is evolving significantly. Consumers demand quality, no nonsense, easy to enjoy liquids that won’t disappoint. It is still possible to innovate, but gin must deliver what mainstream consumers and shoppers demand, not esoteric recipes or niche products to satisfy the eccentric tastes of a happy few enthusiasts.

“This summer, I expect refreshing, smooth, lighter, sophisticated long drinks made with natural flavours and ingredients to be popular.”

Yes, your customers love gin, but you must ensure that your offering stays up to date with trends. If you get it right, and follow the advice of our gin experts, it’s a category that you can really capitalise on this summer to boost sales in your venue.

Didsbury Gin Cocktails

• Basil Smash – Original Gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, served with a bunch of basil and soda water

• The Strasi Spritz- Strawberry & Sicilian Lemon Gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, served with strawberries, mint leaves and topped with soda water

• Rhubarb & Ginger Ginsecco – Rhubarb & Ginger Gin, lemon juice, sliced ginger and muddled bitters, topped with prosecco