Vimto poised to make big push into pubs
Speaking to The Morning Advertiser (MA) in a video interview, Vimto out-of-home sales and operations director Nick Yates revealed the company had increased its focus on pubs by expanding its on-trade team.
Recent acquisitions, such as that of soft drinks brand Feel Good, were also a big part of Nichols’ on-trade focus.
‘Increased our resource'
Yates said: “We have increased our resource [in the on-trade] quite dramatically, with four additional controllers who have joined the team in the past nine months.
“What that enables us to do is take this offer to the on-trade channel.”
Consumers are looking for a wider range of drinks and are prepared to pay for a more premium offer, which operators should pounce on, he added.
“Consumers are looking for variety and more healthy options and the activation of these ranges should include staff recommendations and back bar displays,” said Yates.
‘Served to perfection’
All drinks ranges, including soft drinks, should be served to perfection to help consumers stay there for "one more drink".
Pubs had started to play on those trends with soft drinks, but needed to be more effective by shifting up their focus and attention to detail, he added.
Read an exclusive interview in an upcoming issue of MA with Nichols group chief executive Marnie Millard, in which she outlines her vision of the future of soft drinks in pubs and how trends such as craft producers and the sugar-sweetened soft drinks levy are set to change the landscape.
