Headlines
March - April 2025
Dear customer…
Welcome to the spring edition of Headlines, packed full of great seasonal deals to support you in driving sales and profit during March and April. With the first long four-day bank holiday weekend of 2025 from 18th to 21st April, Easter is a key time in the On Trade offering an opportunity to get your customers to stay longer and attract new ones.
There are some big dates to promote including Mother’s Day on 30th March and the Saints days
with St David’s Day on 1st March, the ever popular St Patrick’s Day on 17th March and St George’s Day on 23rd April.
Our tips shine the spotlight on sparkling wine and cocktails which can provide healthy profit margins. We also focus on British Pie Week from 3rd to 9th March where venues can promote their own perfect pie and drink pairings.
There are plenty of sporting fixtures to help increase footfall and create
a unique atmosphere for your customers. The Six Nations reaches its climax on Saturday 15th March and the FA Cup, Champions and Europa Leagues all reach their quarter and semi-final stages.
Don’t forget the Grand National on the 5th April, always a winner.
Here’s to a cracking Easter for us all!
Cheers!
83% of bartenders see COCKTAIL PREMIUMISATION ON THE RISE*
Customers are increasingly “moving away from being ‘consumers’ of products to ‘curators’ and ‘collectors’ of experiences”*, with premium drinks and experiences continuing to rise in popularity. Ensure your venue is offering customers premium options for success in 2025!
41% of spirit drinkers agree it’s worth paying more for quality**
STAFF EDUCATION
Outstanding service, excellent bartending skills and customer engagement are key to boosting sales of premium cocktails. Well-trained staff members can make informed recommendations and create eye-catching drinks.
91% of consumers are likely to order the drink recommended by staff**
UPGRADE THE SPIRIT
TELL A STORY
Customers today are interested in the heritage and sustainability of products. Introducing stories around brands or drinks can be a useful technique for upselling premium products. Include these stories on your drinks menus and educate your staff to be able to talk about products with confidence.
Promote premium spirits in cocktails. For example, transform a standard Mojito (number 1 cocktail for 2025!*) by upgrading from house rum to Mahiki White Spiced Rum
The categories leading in premiumisation are*:
NO & LOW
No & Low drinks will continue to be a defining trend for 2025, with health and wellness being top priorities for more and more consumers, particularly Gen Z.
Creative, flavourful, lower ABV cocktails with the same attention and look as regular cocktails are an essential offering in 2025.
Google searches for St-Germain Spritz increased by 52% in 2024*
TWIST THE CLASSICS
A simple way to upsell is to introduce customers to a novel twist on a classic cocktail. E.g. Negroni is typically made with gin - twist by using a different premium spirit. The top cocktails that bartenders want to reinvent and create more are* :
Low ABV
Paloma
Margarita
Negroni Martini
1. Tequila
2. Mezcal 3. Vodka
Make Your Spring Sparkle
Put the fizz back into your wine sales in 2025. By promoting sparkling wines, you will be signalling that your venue is the place to have a great time, and you can also boost your margins by using these in spritz cocktails.
WINE SALES INCREASED BY 48% ON MOTHER’S DAY IN 2024!**
Promote your sparkling wine offering in relation to Mother’s Day and think about running a special promotion for the weekend!
2025 WINE TRENDS***
Sunday 30th March Mother 's Day
WINE
Consumers are becoming more adventurous and actively looking to try new and different wines. Look out for sparkling wines from emerging countries such as Greece, Croatia, Romania and of course English Sparkling Wines.
Customers continue to be increasingly aware of sustainability. Biodynamic winemakers use less chemicals and try to use all that they can from their land, such as using wild yeasts.
With many customers focussing more on moderation there has been an improvement in the quality and flavour of alcohol-free sparkling wines.
Customers are choosing quality over quantity more and more in 2025.
English wine is growing in popularity with huge momentum. In 2024, there were 4209 hectares under vine over 1030 vineyards in Britain – an increase of nearly 75 percent over five years – vine planting is currently projected to reach 7600 hectares by 2032.
In the UK sparkling wine market, English fizz volumes have grown by 22% in recent years.
Stocking English sparkling wine also taps into the sustainability trend.
Pie & Beer - a classic British Duo
British Pie Week is a tribute to one of Britain’s favourite dishes. It encourages everyone, from home bakers to professional chefs, to bake, eat, & relish pies. Whether it’s a traditional steak & ale pie, a sweet apple pie, or inventive new fillings, this week celebrates them all. It’s the perfect week for pubs & bars to run promotions & boost trade in early March.
There’s nothing quite as comforting as a hearty pie, whether it’s sweet or savoury. And what better to accompany your favourite pie than your favourite tipple. Having a good pie on the menu & pairing it with a beer means drinkers can be tempted to stay longer & therefore spend more.
OUR PERFECT PAIRS:
TRADITIONAL
You can’t beat a hearty British pie paired with a pint of tasty ale. A classic British bitter or a rich amber ale cuts through the savoury richness.
Cheese & Onion Pie is a simple but timeless option, packed with cheese, onion, herbs, & sometimes potato too, making it a perfect match for Bavaria Pilsner.
Tender meat, a deeply savoury gravy & tangy cheese is what makes this pie a huge hit, & a perfect match for Greene King IPA’s rich, fruity aromas.
75% of people in the UK eat at least one pie a month, with Steak & Stilton remaining a classic.*
A dark stout pairs nicely with the bold, heavy chocolate flavours. Belhaven Black Stout is a revelation with a dark chocolate torte.
Juicy Lucy is a tropical, fruity New England IPA that goes amazingly with a serving of Chicken & Leek Pie, with the citrus notes perfectly complementing the succulent chicken.
What’s not to love about an Apple Pie? Baltic porters & sweet stouts provide a nice contrast with their dark roasted malt flavour, & have plenty of sweetness to complement this dessert.
Make it a cracking Easter
With two bank holidays over the long weekend, Easter is potentially one of the most lucrative dates in the On Trade calendar. Given the current challenges for venues across the country Easter provides a fantastic opportunity to spring board sales in 2025. Make your venue the place to go this Easter!
18thApril21st 2025
Easter definitely drove some cheer for the UK hospitality industry, finishing the first quarter of 2024 on a positive
*https://www.bii.org/BII/BII/News/Articles/A-Positive-End-To-Q1.aspx
In the 4-week period to 31st March 2024, volumes grew +2.4% vs. 2023, as consumers celebrated an earlier Easter than 2023 as well as the Six Nations, & some big football fixtures.
TIP
TIP
Consumer dwell time continued to grow +4.9%, again driven by pubs & bars +6%.
Venues with Big Screens should advertise live sports fixtures alongside Easter.
Run promotions to encourage customers to stay longer. A clearly promoted offer at your venue will encourage repeat visits. Don’t forget to utilise social media too!
TIP
Sunday was the BIG winner for consumer footfall with a huge increase of +23% vs. 2023.
Easter offers the chance to target different customer groups including families, couples, or friends all wanting to share quality time during the bank holiday.
Focus on attracting customers to your venue on Easter Sunday. Food sales naturally increase wet sales, meaning that an enticing food offer, alongside a wide range of drinks is key to driving sales in your venue.
TIP
Include family friendly activities such as Family Fun Days, quizzes or a special offer on a favourite roast dinner.
