SURGING interest in low and no alcohol drinks by UK consumers has seen a race in the hospitality industry to tap into this popular trend. International restaurant franchise Heavenly Desserts is already ahead of the curve – and unveiling a springtime menu of magical mocktails to embrace the craze…
From creative mocktails and iced drinks to milkshakes and craft lemonades, there’s no wonder an increasing number of consumers are ditching the booze in favour of healthier, mouth-watering alternatives.
Gone are the days when all that non-drinkers could expect on a night out was a fizzy drink with ice and a slice if they were lucky. Now retailers, bars and restaurants are doing all they can to lure customers in with a wide range of ‘low and no’ options, with research showing that four in five bars plan to increase their ranges.
Separate research commissioned by low-ABV brewer Lucky Saint found that one in three pub visits and 37% of restaurant visits in the UK are now completely alcohol-free.
The trend is no surprise to Heavenly Desserts, which responded to the growing popularity last year by serving up an entire mocktail menu and is unveiling a new range with flavours inspired by springtime in Japan, such as cherry blossom – predicted to be a big hit this year.
The luxury dessert brand has seen the popularity of mocktails at its six venues in the capital soar, says London area manager Wesley Williams. Sales figures revealed that customers in Stratford in east London were drinking the most mocktails, with more than a quarter (25.5%) of the company’s mocktail sales from this location from 2021-2022.
“The low and no alcohol lifestyle is having a meteoric spike in popularity,” says Wesley. “As consumers become more health-focused and are facing cost of living pressures, the ability to enjoy cocktails throughout the day and evening without the negative impact or cost which alcohol has is allowing people to enjoy themselves while remaining responsible.
“People still want to go out and socialise with their friends and are keen to get out of the house when life’s a bit harder, as it is now.
“We’ve also noticed a huge return to the after-work drinks scene in London – it seems to be flourishing again now. People are looking for alternatives to a night of drinking alcohol as they want to have fun but still feel ‘sharp’ the next day. So brands that are good at delivering that experience without the alcohol will certainly benefit greatly.
We don’t just want to focus on evening mocktail drinking either. Our range of spring drinks taps into the iced coffee season which is just around the corner, and builds on the bubble tea boom that is taking the capital by storm at the moment, meaning we’re able to give customers interesting drinks options throughout the day too.”
Heavenly Desserts does not serve alcohol at any of its 45 branches across the UK – a feature that suits its diverse customer demographic and also one it believes fits best with its luxury desserts mission.
The general decline in alcohol consumption is increasingly common among younger generations, with a study by UK charity Drinkaware finding that over a quarter of Gen Z is now teetotal. And it’s affecting older people too – with almost nine million people pledging to give up alcohol for a month in January 2023.
The stigma of being considered ‘boring’ by not drinking is also being swept away as the sober curious embrace the growing number of products now on the market as many big brands create non-alcoholic versions of favourite drinks.
The Portman Group, the alcohol social responsibility body and marketing regulator, says the market in the UK has grown by over 130% from sales of £108m in 2018/19 to £255m this year, reflecting how the products have become ingrained with alcohol drinkers.
Says Wesley: “We’re noticing that in the hospitality industry, just being a restaurant isn’t enough anymore – there are a lot of brands out there now offering fully-fledged experiences, like us. In today’s economic climate – with the recent news that 63% of people will cut back on dining out spending as energy bills continue to rise – it is so important that we ensure our offering is genuinely unique and innovative to entice our London customer base.”
Consumers are seeking indulgent, ‘Instagram-able’ drinks as well as healthy, low-sugar options and those catering for dietary needs such as vegan and gluten-free.
The drive to create inventive recipes and unique flavour combinations is at the forefront of Heavenly Dessert’s constantly evolving menu of drinks to complement its showstopping desserts.
Having noticed how social media searches for ‘pornstar martini mocktail’ increased 160% in the UK last year, the company responded by developing a passion fruit martini iced drink.
Now the team, led by drinks designer Chris Conaghan, has been busy working on a new range of Japanese-inspired flavours, combining wonderful-tasting ingredients that feature matcha, made from green tea leaves, and the yuzu fruit.
The range includes Cherry Blossom & Lychee Seltzer, Matcha and Pistachio Iced Latte and the signature Yuzu & Passion Fruit Tonic.
“They are amazing flavours and the drinks will emphasise a summery feel and offer a refreshing alternative as the weather hots up,” said Wesley.
“Cherry blossom is going to be the flavour that dominates this year and our flavour profiling shows that cherry blossom and lychee go well together, so we think that’s going to be a good seller.
“We’ve also partnered with the popular Little Moons mochi ice cream brand and will launch a pineapple Little Moons refresher. We’re always looking to be unique and dynamic – and leverage our partnerships – to really make the most of our drinks.”
And Wesley adds: “We want to highlight to people that not every celebration, lunch or night out needs alcohol to make it fun and enjoyable. Lots of brands are now taking notice of this growing market – it’s certainly here to stay and grow.”