barsclubs taverns are so many great Kiwi-made options, and with the popularity of this beverage blowing up on social media, providing these new, cool brands will be a draw card for your establishment. If your clientele isn’t the Instagram type, there are also tried and trusted Kiwi brands making hard seltzers, even Tui jumped on the band wagon, yeah right!
Get Creative
Cocktails After COVID
Despite the hospitality industry experiencing increasing revenue growth between 2015-2019, last year has seen these gains wiped out. The last 12 months have changed consumer’s drinking habits and had a big influence on how and what Kiwis will be drinking over the months ahead. Let’s take a look at the biggest beverage and bar trends for 2021.
Drinking Clean
way alcohol is extracted from perfume. There is also an increased focus on hygiene among bar-goers, regular cleaning schedules and higher levels of staff training will keep your customers’ confidence and trust. Providing hand sanitizer for customers to use won’t kill the mood – it’s become such a part of the new normal that people will come to expect it.
Convenience and The Evolution of the RTD
Health and wellness remain top of mind as consumers want to stay healthy and avoid getting sick. 2020 cemented the no-to-low-alcohol category as a mainstay in consumers’ drinking repertoires, with COVID-19 prompting key changes in consumer attitudes. Google searches for ‘mocktail’ increased by 42% in 2020 and since the pandemic began, non-alcoholic beverages have reported a 400% increase in retail sales. Where no-to-low-alcohol offerings were once almost stigmatised, the category has now become aspirational, with consumers increasingly willing to pay a premium for no-to-low-alcohol products. Make sure that you regularly update your nonalcoholic menu choices with creative and delicious mocktails and keep an eye out for local producers of low-alcohol beer and wine to add to your inventory. Most large beer brands, such as Export Gold and Steinlager offer 0% alcohol options, and low-alcohol wines are becoming more available. Last year, Kiwi wine company Giesen introduced the world’s first 0% Sauvignon Blanc, using a process similar to the
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restaurantandcafé.co.nz
The ready-to-drink (RTD) which includes hard seltzers, flavoured alcohol beverages, and pre-mixed cocktails, is under rapid transformation across leading markets, with volume growth out-pacing that of other beverage alcohol categories globally. It’s clear that hard seltzers or seltzer-like products are growing in popularity as consumers look for sessionable, lower-ABV options. Although they have been primarily available in supermarkets, 2021 will see the inclusion of these drinks in bars and restaurants to attract new customers and satisfy hard seltzer converts. Take a look at your client base and see what sort of hard seltzers you should incorporate into your menu or even consider getting on tap. Pride yourself on your local brews? Investigate to see if there is a local hard-seltzer producer near you. If you thought the craft beer market was big, wait until you see how many new hard seltzer brands have popped up over the last year. There
As a result of not being able to go to bars for months on end, we have been forced to become more creative in our drinking at home. This creative mindset is set to continue into 2021, as, more so than ever, people are coming to your establishment for an experience and to try something unique and out-of-the-ordinary. You can use social media to show off your bar’s unique cocktail creations, you can even have competitions between your team members to see whose creations get the most traction. Create a signature drink that represents the vibe of your establishment, pair it with the perfect bar snack for even more revenue.
Travelling through Taste
With the pandemic putting a kybosh on any international travel for the foreseeable future, consumers are looking for ways to travel to exotic places without leaving their neighbourhood. Supporting local is essential, but along with Kiwi favourites try adding some international flair to your offerings. We know all about rum from Cuba, gin from England, and red wine from Bordeaux but what about white wine from Croatia or the Canary Islands? Rum from Vietnam? Customers may not be able to travel, but they still want to be inspired by flavours from favourite holiday destinations. Telling a story about the history and location of an international liquor can create buzz, you can even try themed nights to bring in customers who are desperate to do something different. continued on page 22
