September - October 2024
Dear customer…
Our autumn edition of Headlines brings you a host of spookily good deals to help you make the most of the fangtastic trading opportunities in September and October.
It’s a bumper period of activity for the On Trade, with many key dates to prepare for. We have included category advice for Halloween on the 31st October, National Curry Week in October and also how to boost profit from matching great British
drinks with food this autumn.
The big calendar date is Cask Ale Week running from 19th to 29th
September celebrating all things great about British beer and is a wonderful opportunity to promote local quality ales. #CaskAleWeek #StandUpForCask.
Another date for the diary should be the world’s largest Rum Festival in London 12th to 13th October. A force to be reckoned with in the UK spirits market, rum can come to the forefront in your venue during this period.
Make the most of the brilliant opportunities to increase footfall and sales in your venues this autumn Cheers!
NATIONAL CURRY WEEK Perfect partners for 7
TH - 13TH OCTOBER
Celebrated every year NATIONAL CURRY WEEK honours the thriving Indian restaurant industry and also helps raise money for poverty-focused charities.
WHO DOESN’T LOVE A CURRY? – to help your venue get some hot returns this October, we’ve highlighted our perfect pairings for some favourite Indian food and drinks.
BEERS
The automatic match for Indian food would be lager served cold as the bubbles freshen the palate instantly. A favourite is Kingfisher Beer. However, a beer with more flavour also works well, particularly a well-hopped pale ale or IPA. Plus, a Pils is good with snack food such as samosas and bhajis.
WINES
WHITE WINE
BEST FOR: SPICY DISHES
You need: Sauvignon Blanc. Sharp acidity & slight sweetness can help mellow the curry's heat & make the flavours sing.
BEST FOR: ALOO GOBI, JALFREZI, GREEN CURRIES, DHAL
You need: Vinho Verde. A famous style of wine from northern Portugal, traditionally light in alcohol with a slight spritz.
RED WINE
BEST FOR: THAI CURRIES
You need: Cinsault.
Red wouldn’t be the automatic go to for Indian food but richly flavoured & delicately spiced red wine is the perfect pairing for Thai curries.
BEST FOR: SPICY VEGETARIAN DISHES
You need: Lighter reds such as Beaujolais.
ROSÉ WINE
BEST ALL ROUNDER
You need: Fruity Rosé. For a reliable style of wine with curry, make it pink and extremely juicy, so the sweetness in the fruit counterbalances any heat.
SPARKLING WINE - EVEN CHAMPAGNE!
Not so much with curries but sparkling wines are great with Indian snacks like samosas, bhajis and pakoras.
CIDER
Maybe you don’t associate cider with curry but try it! A medium-dry cider will work a treat with milder fish and veggie curries and can be incredibly refreshing.
SPIRITS
Spirits alone would be a no-no with curry unless you want to set your mouth on fire, but diluted with a mixer and a handful of ice - it’s a whole different story.
BEST FOR: ROGAN JOSH OR BIRYANI
You need: Cognac + Ginger Ale
A classic VS or VSOP cognac with 150ml of ginger ale and ice is just perfect with a medium to hot, meaty curry like a Rogan Josh or a rice dish like a Biryani.
BEST FOR: VINDALOO
You need: Vodka & Lemonade
This famously hot curry won’t leave much room for flavour in drinks, so go clear for the spirits and clear for the mixer, preferably a sweet one. With lots of ice! Vodka and lemonade is your answer, with a twist of real lemon to add to the acidity and freshness.
COCKTAILS
You might not think of pairing cocktails with Indian food but you could theme with the food. E.G. Grapefruit Collins.
ALCOHOL FREE BEERS
E.G. Heineken Alcohol Free (0.0%)
A perfect 0% alcohol partner - more fruity and gently malty than the alcohol version, this lager is exceptionally easy-drinking.
Reference: The Three Drinkers, What you should be drinking with curry, Helena Nicklin. Six drinks you might not have
Raise The Bar With
Premium Spirits
Premium products are flying off the shelves faster than ever before, so if you’re not already stocking premium spirits, now is the time to start!
Of guests are now more likely to trade up for a better-quality drink *
What is premiumisation?
Of consumers want to try something new when they’re at a pub or bar **
A movement towards choosing more high-quality, premium products offered at higher prices.*
"
Products are made premium by a range of factors, such as quality of ingredients, production process, age, distinct flavour profiles and rarity, to name a few. All these attributes combined lead to a superior drinking experience for your customers.
Why are premium drinks trending?
• More people are choosing to drink less alcohol, meaning they are more likely to order premium alcohol drinks in smaller quantities than cheaper options in large quantities.
• Millennials & Gen Zs (18-35 years old) are driving the trend.
How to sell premium drinks successfully
Of 18-34 year olds are likely to purchase a premium drink vs 35% of those aged 35+*
1. TELL THE STORY BEHIND THE SPIRIT. A great way to engage your customer! Providing background behind products gives a real sense of quality and value for money, and boosts your customer experience.
2. SHOWCASE PREMIUM SPIRITS IN YOUR BACK-BAR. Position premium drinks in a prime eye-level location on your bar. You can dedicate a whole shelf to premium spirits – organise as good, better, best; separate light and dark spirits; and use lighting to draw the eye.
3. UPSELL PREMIUM SPIRITS. Use the products story here and know where and when to upsell. Offer a range of options rather than just the most expensive one. Make suggestions and remember that upselling is not just about a bigger spend, but about enhancing your customers’ experience.
Start Planning Ahead for Christmas
It’s never too early to start planning for the biggest trading period of the year!
19% Of customers make at least some Christmas plans by September ***
27% of customers saying they won’t make plans until December!*** with only
Start planning your menu
Have you decided on festive drinks/cocktails specials?
Have you started advertising on social media and in your venue?
Advertise to local businesses for Christmas parties
TOP TRICKS FOR HALLOWEEN TREATS
Halloween is your opportunity to get creative and have some fun, while increasing footfall and profits at the same time! Halloween falls on a Thursday this year, the perfect chance to make a weekend of it by running events from Thursday to Sunday to fully capitalise on the occasion!
31st OCTOBER
1.
EERIE ATMOSPHERE
2.
SCREAM ON SOCIALS
Social media will be key for promoting Halloween.
Your Halloween décor doesn’t have to be gaudy and cheesy, pick whatever suits the feel of your venue. Subtle hints such as fake cobwebs and pumpkins can do wonders! Add a background soundtrack of Halloween classics and you’re on to a winner!
3.
FAMILY FUN
• Set up Facebook events
• Post previews of your décor and themed drinks on Instagram stories
• Use popular hashtags
• Run a like and share competition to reach a wider audience
4.
HALLOWEEN EVENTS
Family-friendly daytime spooks are a great way to increase footfall during the day. Try a Halloween sweets hunt, a pumpkin painting craft class, costume competitions or a face painter. Or package it all together as a ‘fangtastic family fun day’!
5.
FIENDISH FOOD
Hosting a horror movie night (ensure you obtain the relevant license beforehand!), putting on a murder mystery evening or throwing a monsters ball are just a few ideas to get you started. Selling tickets in advance creates a buzz and demand around your event!
6.
CREEPY COCKTAILS
If you are a food venue, why not add some Halloween specials? You could go all out and add fully themed and decorated dishes or keep it simple with seasonal produce such as pumpkin or squash, apples and nuts. Go with what best suits your venue.
DEAD MULE
Create some spooktacular cocktails for Halloween! Get creative with your garnishes to add the theatre and share photos of your themed cocktails on social media - a ‘grammable’ cocktail travels fast!
• 50ml Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum
• 200ml Ginger Beer
• Shot of Lime/Lemon Juice
• Dash of Bitters (optional)
• Handful of Mint
• Lime Wedges
Add all the ingredients to a glass with ice. Stir and garnish with mint.
Our Perfect Pairings for Profit
This is an ideal way to boost sales this Autumn by linking your British beers and drinks to your food offering.
LAGER
Wrexham Lager Export pairs lovely with a nice Welsh cheese platter or the pub classic, steak & ale pie.
REAL BRITISH ALE
Classic British Ales work well with Sunday roasts, pies and hearty soups E.G. Doom Bar is perfect for a classic English steak & kidney pie.
Or Twin Coast Pale Ale, well hopped, light golden beer goes well with mild curries, Cajun chicken burgers & loaded fries.
WHISKY
Whisky is incredibly varied, with distinct and different aromas, flavours, and tasting notes. This makes it a great spirit to create cocktails and drinks that pair with food. Whisky cocktails make a great pair with spiced food, enhancing the palate while offering freshness.
SOFT DRINKS
is the perfect partner for oriental chicken In fact most white meats go well with elderflower, as do most light prawn dishes and white fish.
For those who are counting the calories, slimline tonic water is lovely alongside anything with delicate and lighter flavours such salads, quiches and courgetti with homemade pesto.
The aromatic red fruit aromas and delicate spice of a Blanc De Noirs is complemented beautifully by the depth and earthiness Pair this with a mushroom risotto.
Great British seaside traditions: fish & chips. A popular pairing is a favourite sparkler, such as Nyetimber. A delicate English rosé such as Kingscote exudes aromas of strawberries and cream - perfect with a traditional trifle?
