SOFT DRINKS | MIXERS | NO- & LOW-ALCOHOL
The softer side
For a punchier Bloody Mary try Tongue in Peat’s tomato juice infused with peat smoke. Available in 250ml glass bottles (trade £15.36 for 12 bottles, RRP £2.49 each) and 500ml glass bottles (trade £14.70 for six bottles, RRP £4.79). tongueinpeat.com
Here’s our picks of the latest launches in mixers, soft drinks and the growing no- & low- sector By Lauren Phillips Jeffrey’s Tonic has moved into the premium tonics sector with its latest syrups and cordials. The range comprises: Sicilian Lemon & Warm Spices, Oriental Lime, Yarrow, Rosehip & Elderflower and Classic Premium Indian Tonic Syrup. Available in 200ml and 500ml bottles sold to the trade in cases of 6 x 500ml bottles (£41.94) or 12 x 200ml bottles (£46.80), with RRPs of £12 and £6.99, respectively. jeffreystonic.com
Tonic brand Gallybird has added a Classic Blend Indian tonic variety to join its original Botanical Blend tonic water. It is sweetened with stevia to create a premium tonic with no sugar and zero calories. Available in 200ml (RRP £5, per 4 x 200ml packs) and 500ml bottles and new 150ml cans. gallybird.com
Soft drinks company Dalston’s has entered the low- or noalcohol category with a new range of gin-free G&T sparkling drinks. The drinks come in two flavours – Classic and Rhubarb – that both feature a blend of juniper, coriander and lemon balm. Launched at the beginning of the year, the range is available to independents and on-trade stockists nationwide. RRP £1.992.99, 250ml. dalstons.com Benefit Water is a new range of canned unsweetened, sparkling spring water. Launched in April this year by The Benefit Brand, it comes in three flavours – Mango & Coconut, Lemon & Elderflower, and Apple – and is pitched as a refreshing mixer alternative. Available to the trade at £9 per case of 12 cans (RRP £1.49 per can). thebenefitbrand.com Copenhagen-based non-alcoholic spirit brand, ISH Spirits, entered the market in 2018 with its GinISH and RumISH products. Two years later and the company has returned with two ready-to-drink slimline canned cocktail lines: GinISH & Tonic and a SpritzISH. The latter is a nonalcoholic take on the Aperol Spritz. RRP between £2.50 and £3, per 250ml can. ishspirits.com
Ginger Switchel is a non-alcoholic aperitif from Mother Root. Made with ginger juice, apple cider vinegar, and blossom honey, it is available in 480ml bottles (trade £13) and a new 120ml limited edition bottle (trade £4.50, RRP £8.90). motherroot.london Wilfred’s Drinks has a new alcohol-free Orange & Rosemary flavoured aperitif. The drink serves 10 spritzes (with tonic) per 500ml bottle and has an RRP of £18. wilfredsdrinks.com Aiming to shake up soft drinks is Jitterbug with its sparkling apple cider vinegar tonics. Packaged in retro labels, the range comes in three flavours: Lemonade Swing, Orange Jive and Berry Hop. RRP £2.99, 330ml bottles. jitterbuglife.com Brod Kvas is a naturally fermented drink originating from Russia. The Kvas Company produces a Brod Original Rye (Russian rye bread, sultanas) along with Rose (rosebuds, cardamom pods), Ruby (beetroot, turmeric and ginger), and Green (hemp and manuka) varieties. thekvascompany.com
NO- AND LOW-ALCOHOL IS A CATEGORY WITH POTENTIAL By Chris Mercer Demand for no- and low-alcohol spirits, beer and wine has surged as part of what marketers are calling “moderation” trend. Concrete proof of this is Waitrose’s launch of a pre-mixed “Nogroni” in March and the retailer has recently reported sales of low and non-alcoholic drinks are up by 64% year-on-year. The Nogroni is produced by Seedlip, a pioneer of “distilled non-alcoholic spirits”, whose founder Ben Branson told FFD at the end of 2019 that the producers have barely “scratched the surface” of the category’s potential. “In the last year, we saw a volume growth of +270% and are today stocked in
A SUPPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD DIGEST
more than 7,500 accounts globally.” Those involved see the sector as a way of offering premium drinks to a growing number of consumers who wish to cut down on alcohol, but don’t want to replace booze with the usual sweetened soft drinks. Sarah Yates, co-founder of Devon-based brand Sea Arch, says that it’s important to give nondrinkers “a quality experience” to stop them from feeling like second-class citizens at the bar or party. “You get a botanical hit but you don’t get the alcohol,” says Yates of the company’s non-alcoholic distilled spirit, which is made with botanicals including blood orange, sea kelp, juniper berries,
cucumber and cardamom. Each one is distilled separately before being blended later. While some observers question the use of the term “distilled” to describe these kinds of drinks, there is also plenty of debate around using the terms “alcohol-free” (which must legally be 0.05% ABV or lower) and “low alcohol” (1.2% ABV or below) and the vaguer “non-alcoholic” on labelling. Regardless, no- and low-alcohol has emerged as a category in its own right Seedlip’s Branson suggests retailers should have “a dedicated alcohol-free section so it’s a clear destination instore”. It might just be worth making some shelf space.
HIGH SPIRITS 2020-21
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