Great white hopes by ROBYN BLACK
While gin currently gets all the airtime when it comes to white spirits, there are plenty of interesting things happening in the rest of the category. Vodka still makes up the bulk of sales, rum remains popular, and tequila is stirring things up at the top end of the market. Here’s the lowdown on what’s going on in the sector Gin
Now worth more than £600m to the UK on-trade and up five per cent in volume and 10.3 per cent in value over the last year (all CGA to February 2017), it might feel like we’ve already reached peak gin. Industry experts, however, think otherwise and predict further growth for the category in years to come. All of which might leave you wondering just how much of your precious back-bar space to devote to what used to be known as “mother’s ruin”? “The key consideration now is not so much about
dedicating more space but about optimising the room currently allocated,” says Graham Carr-Smith, founder of The English Drinks Company, a soft drinks producer which recently moved into spirits with the launch of Cucumber Gin. “The ratios will vary very significantly by outlet type, of course. However, the principles hold true universally. Consider giving some profile to smaller gin brands and some focus to flavoured brands. Consumers have evolved — they want to try these types of gins.” Advice from Diageo concurs with this, suggesting licensees stock at least three gins. “One for pouring, one for an upsell and one that’s a little different for choice,” explains Faith Holland, head of on-trade category and insight.
Vodka
There’s still a lot of love for vodka despite its little cousin gin hogging the limelight of late. “Licensees can shake up their vodka offering simply and effectively by making use of the latest trend towards infused vodka,” says Nick Williamson, marketing director at Campari UK. “Flavoured and infused vodkas are
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