drink Research shows that well over half (58 per cent) of diners would be likely to order a cocktail if it had been listed on the food menu (CGA Mixed Drinks Report, April 2017). Yet wine remains the default option when it comes to drinking with a meal. It’s traditional, a habit, even, but we also prompt diners to opt for wine — by presenting a wine list alongside the food menu or laying the table with wine glasses from the start. There is a lot of work going on at the moment around beer with food from the brewing fraternity, and some cider companies are also working hard in this area. Given the popularity of cocktails and the margins they offer operators, however, it seems a shame more isn’t being done here as well. That’s why we are delighted to announce a new Inapub campaign in partnership with spirits giant Diageo. It’s launching this month with some exclusive research (check out pages 28, 29 and 34) and we’ll be continuing
with ROBYN BLACK
the work over the next few months in the magazine and on the website, as well as through our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages. You can expect more research, expert advice and ideas and tips to help you tap into what is potentially a very lucrative market for pubs — don’t forget two-thirds of cocktails are sold in pubs these days (OnePoll survey, November 2016). Drink continues to be a huge driver for diners, with 51 per cent of people saying it is an important factor in where they choose to eat (CGA Peach Brandtrack, February 2017) and food continues to dominate social occasions and social media — there are more than 200 million photos tagged “food” on Instagram alone. This doesn’t have to be overly complicated either. Start small, perhaps by offering a mince pie with a hot toddy, or an Old Fashioned with a chocolate truffle on the side. That’s more exciting (and probably more profitable) than serving a glass of red, surely?
Wine remains the default option when it comes to drinking with a meal. It’s traditional, a habit, even, but we also prompt diners
COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN Kronenbourg 1664 • Taste Suprême Footballing supremo Eric Cantona is back as the face of Kronenbourg 1664 in a new ad for its ongoing Taste Suprême campaign. This time around Eric plays “Le Scarecrow Suprême” as he tries to protect the hops.
Hobgoblin • Smash for cash The “unofficial beer of Halloween” is back with a new competition rolling out across 8,000 pubs and bars, with giveaways for drinkers ranging from Hobgoblin branded goodies to cold, hard cash.
VK • Nocturnal The country’s number one student RTD, VK, will be touring 73 venues this autumn with an eight-foot owl targeting freshers, who are “experiencing their first taste of freedom”.
20 OCTOBER 2017
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trade.inapub.co.uk 19/09/2017 13:42