Snow is far from guaranteed this Christmas, but what we can count on is the estimated 65.2 million[1] consumers heading out of home to celebrate the festive season.
Across the Christmas and New Year period 45% of consumers expect to see a wider range of drinks to choose from, while 51% agree that they would like to see seasonal drinks offered[2]. So it’s imperative that venues showcase their festive spirit.
However, with such stiff competition it’s essential to ensure that increased footfall and tricky to prepare innovations don’t lead to longer waiting times.
Lee Hyde, Beverage Innovation Manager at MONIN UK, shares his top tips and favourite seasonal recipes to help spread the festive cheer this Christmas.
- Make Christmas an immersive experience – Christmas is the one time of year that outlets can really go all out to embrace the festive cheer and creativity is key. For example naming cocktails after popular Christmas songs is a great way to demonstrate that your establishment is full of holiday spirit. It’s a fun opportunity to introduce a range of exciting themed concept-led drinks. A ‘White Christmas’ might offer a fresh take on an Eggnog classic. While a ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ cocktail could have a percentage of its price donated to charity and a ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ could showcase no ABV alternatives.
- Don’t let waiting times dampen the festive spirit – Increased footfall can mean longer queues and waiting times. Keep customers’ festive cheer by considering the length of time it takes to make each drink. Cocktails and no ABV options can be made in batches! For example venues could offer a barrel aged Winter Cherry Negroni, it’s simple to scale up or down to make the required volume. Alternatively consider preparing a No ABV cocktail in a Kilner jar which is ready to serve.
- Be creative with a few favourites – Flavour plays an important part in the overall festive experience. Investing in just two or three popular winter flavours which can be used across multiple drinks can help to reduce waste and improve the bottom line. For example, both MONIN Salted Caramel syrup and MONIN Morello Cherry syrup can be used across a range of different beverages, meaning consumers can enjoy traditional festive flavours without the need for bartenders to invest in a vast range of syrups.
- Make it a standout Christmas – Increasingly – Food and drink remain some of the biggest themes on Instagram and many establishments are looking to the platform to create social buzz. Visually appealing drinks encourages customers to post on social media which will ultimately drive awareness and traffic to an outlet. Consumers tend to be tempted by fun, colourful and textured drinks that look great on Instagram and concept drinks are key players when it comes to visually-inspired beverages. The festive season provides an opportunity to go all out! Glitter, sparklers, pine needles and dried fruits can all help to elevate drinks to Instagrammable status.
Outlets can also consider going one step further and extending the visual appeal of their drinks to their menus. Consider providing an advent calendar style menu that offers a different Christmas inspired drink in the lead up to the big day. This can offer a focal point, engage consumers, as well as provide content for social media.
Finally it’s vital not to forget that while decoration is important, glassware, garnishes and the names given to the drinks all contribute to the overall experience.
TOP TIP:
Don’t forget to showcase your offering – POS, social media and menu boards are all vital to raising awareness of the Christmas offering.
[1] CGA Christmas Coffer Peach Business Tracker 2017
[2] CGA Christmas Report 2017