10 minute read
PREMIUM MIXERS: MIXING IT UP FOR WINTER
Mixing it up for the winter
How retailers can look beyond just gin and tonic to capitalise on the opportunities of mixers this winter.
It’s no secret that we love a crisp, refreshing G&T on a warm, sunny day here in Australia. But as the temperatures dip, and drinkers look for something a little more warming, retailers should not overlook the potential contained in the premium mixer category.
The mixed outlook
The opportunities of mixers during the winter is something that Alanna Gibson, Head of Strategy for Fever-Tree, is keen to highlight, particularly with reference to dark spirits.
“Whiskey is by far the largest, the most consumed spirit, and actually 54 per cent of whiskey is consumed mixed… It is mostly cola and ginger ale,” Gibson said.
Narrow the category to American whiskey and Fever-Tree says this number increases to 58 per cent, just a little under the 60 per cent of gin that is consumed with a mixer (for the purposes of this question, mixers and cocktails were separate options).
According to Fever-Tree’s research, cola is the most popular mixer for whiskey in Australia, with 40 per cent of the spirit’s drinkers choosing to mix with it, and ginger beer or ale follows at 15 per cent. It’s no surprise then, that the brand is releasing a cola to market in August.
“There hasn’t really been that premium option for whiskey drinkers who like to drink their drinks mixed. And we know from consumer surveys that the number one driving factor for consumers is that it tastes great – way above price and value,” Gibson adds.
Gibson’s comments are echoed by her colleague, Caroline Wood, who says: “We’re trying to meet that need that we saw back in the day with tonic, and the opportunity for a premium tonic for those that really cared about a good quality drink.”
The gap in the market for a premium dark spirits mixer is something that Shivam Reddy, Founder of Long Rays, has also observed.
“Rum, whiskey and tequila, for example, don’t have the premium G&T style offering,” Reddy says.
“Long Rays Dark Soda was created specifically for dark spirits and has been performing very well as a dedicated dark spirit mixer.”
The popularity of ginger and cola-based drinks, and their suitability for winter drinking, is also highlighted by Thurman Wise, Director of Brand and Innovation at CAPI.
As the nights draw in, Wise says, it’s “all about winter spices such as cinnamon, clove and ginger, that provide unique twists and classic products like cola, ginger ale and ginger beer. “These mixers are perfect for giving an exciting and elevated twist on classic highballs such as ‘Rye and Dry’, ‘Whiskey and Cola’ and the ‘Dark and Stormy’,” Wise adds.
“One of our strengths at CAPI is our wide portfolio of mixers, which has drinks solutions for all spirits, from our Lime & Agave and Grapefruit products which perfectly pair with tequila, to our Spicy Ginger Beer for rum, or our range of soda waters that perfectly pair with a range of whiskies. “Customers are expanding their drinking habits to include all types of spirits.
“With the rise of tequila, rum and local whisky, consumers will be looking for easy solutions for cocktails and our extended range offers those tools for retailers.”
-David Temminghoff, CEO StrangeLove
This desire for diversity of options has been noticed by other mixer brands too, with David Temminghoff, CEO of StrangeLove, saying: “Overall, consumers are seeking out variety.
“The simplest solution to selling more mixers in the cooler months is providing inspiration for weather-appropriate drinks. Think fiery gingers and bitter lemons to pair with traditional ‘cooler weather’ spirits such as whiskey or gin.”
Temminghoff also provided some inspiration for cooler month cocktails, recommended by both drinkers and the StrangeLove team.
“Our go-tos are: a fiery twist on a ‘Dark and Stormy’ – a warming fan favourite made with our Hot Ginger Beer tempered with Sichuan pepper, [or] any top-shelf, peaty whiskey paired with Dry Ginger Ale – the ideal companion for cozy evenings by the fire,” Temminghoff said.
“A little more left of field for a spiced, nuanced drink far more interesting than mulled wine – a lighter whiskey mixed with our Cloudy Pear and Cinnamon Lo-Cal Soda. “Throw on your old Michael Bublé CD and you have Christmas in July in a glass.”
Premiumisation in the mix
Wise and Gibson concur that the premiumisation trend seen in glass spirits is being echoed in the mixer category. “The big piece here is that people are really trading up when it comes to mixers. Customers want high quality drinks,” Wise says.
“At home, they might now have access to all the tools and ingredients of a bar, so a premium mixer helps with that gap to create bar-quality drinks.” Gibson agrees, saying: “Premium spirits are basically driving growth of spirits in Australia – which is already a very premium country.
“We believe what is also driving growth is premium mixers – because if [consumers are] going to be spending their money on a premium spirit, why not also invest that little bit more to have a premium mixer and a great tasting drink all around.”
Reddy offered some detail on which demographics he believed were driving the growth of premium mixers.
“While we know there is a 66 per cent to 33 per cent female to male ratio when it comes to mixer purchases, there seems to be a slight pivot as we approach winter and the emergence of dark spirits as a genuine everyday drink option,” Reddy says.
“Today, in Australia we have many premium distilleries creating rum and whiskey.” Temminghoff too, has noticed this change in purchasing, saying: “We are seeing a shift from the die-hard drinkers, into the mainstream, who are becoming more brand conscious and willing to spend a few more bucks to try out something locally made and a little different to the norm.”
The agave opportunity
Wise sees an area of growth for premium mixers with agave-based spirits, such as mezcal and tequila.
“The excitement around agave spirit is literally pouring into the highball category. We are seeing so much growth with our Grapefruit soda and Lime & Agave soda which are perfect for quick and premium tequila cocktails,” Wise said.
“We really are just at the tip of the iceberg seeing the growth of tequila and drinks like the Paloma and Margarita in Australia. These products and flavours will only pave the way into new trends such as sotol and mezcal and new ways to drink tequila, such as tequila-soda and tequila-tonic.”
Temminghoff also identified agave spirits as an area of potential for premium mixers, with a mezcal-based cocktail currently preferred by the StrangeLove team.
“One of our favourites at the moment is smoky mezcal mixed with Mandarin Lo-Cal Soda,” Temminghoff says.
“Not your most obvious pairing, but two ingredients that deliver an unexpectedly layered ‘out of the box’ drink recipe - which takes approximately 12 seconds to make. Our advice is always - don’t be afraid to experiment with weird and wonderful pairings. You may just stumble on gold.”
Reddy believes the strength of this trend in America means that it will not be too long until we see similar habits here in Australia.
“While tequila highballs aren’t big in Australia, they certainly have become so in the US, [and this] is a trend we will see in Australia over coming years,” Reddy said.
“Our Citrus tonic for example is a great option for tequila and a wedge of lime.”
The stand-alone mixer
Temminghoff also believes that mixers can tap into the growing trend for no and low alcohol drinking options, representing a stand-alone product that can be enjoyed without an accompanying spirit.
“We are keeping a close eye on the low ABV and non-alc trend, which is most definitely beginning to boom here,” Temminghoff explains.
“Our mixers and sodas are insanely good stand-alone non-alc options. Developing products based on a flavour-first ethos means we already have a banging non-alc range which can be simply paired in mocktails or guzzled straight from the bottle as an incredibly satisfying non-alc beverage in itself.”
Don’t forget tonic
While brands encouraged retailers to think outside the box and explore the ranges of mixer brands beyond tonic water, they also believe that this mixer still has a role to play in the winter.
Switching out the normal base spirit or using an alternative style of gin can provide a new dimension for tonic-based cocktails, making them ideally suited for the cooler months.
Temminghoff suggests pairing tonic with the winegrape juice gins that have strongly come into trend over the last five years, recommending Shiraz-based gin and bitter lemon tonic.
-Thurman Wise, Director of Brand and Innovation CAPI
Wise agrees that tonic can have a place in the ‘off season’, saying: “Another great mixer for winter is rethinking the classic tonic, subbing out gin for dark spirits such as whiskey or rum for a winter’s answer to the G&T.”
And again, this sentiment is shared by Temminghoff: “The best approach is to educate the market to get experimental. Yes, tonic goes great with gin (obviously) but you can also try it out with tequila.”
Wintry recommendations for retailers
StrangeLove, CAPI and Fever-Tree all had useful tips for retailers seeking to capitalise upon the opportunities of premium mixers as winter begins. Across the board, the number one recommendation was placement.
“I think co-location and displays and store education is key,” said Wood.
“Consumers love to be told. So a little bit of education [goes a long way], and if you put a display of Wild Turkey and our Distillers Cola, or Johnnie Walker and our Dry Ginger Ale, then people understand how you’re meant to drink at home.
“If [retailers] don’t co-locate, they’re just losing out on sales. Most people will pick up both if it’s made easy for them.”
This message is also echoed by Wise, who says: “We know consumers want great tasting mixer options so if you know the types of spirit your customers gravitate to make sure to have a range of high-quality mixers that complete their cocktail and make sure that the solutions are easily accessible for the customer journey.”
Reddy believes that bundling spirits with mixers offers retailers a great opportunity to increase the value of purchases.
“Retailers are best placed to bundle their rums and whiskies with their best mixer pairing to reduce decision fatigue and drive bigger basket sizes,” Reddy said.
Temminghoff concluded by stressing the importance of education on pairings and mixer possibilities for securing sales.
He said: “The smartest thing we can do as a beverage company to support the at-home-mixologist is to give them inspiration - via pairing notes and recipe ideas, and of course, new products to play with.”
