Christmas drinks that will boost your sales

Christmas is a time for celebration and cocktails are a vital component when it comes to festive parties. Research by CGA Strategy shows there is 36% growth in cocktail sales in the on-trade but, warns Simon Green, marketing director for Global Brands, licensees shouldn’t rely on their standard offer to pull in the pounds.

“Consumers are influenced by the season, so it is important to adapt your cocktails and liqueurs range to meet the occasion, attracting consumers with festive-themed recipes,” he says.

We take a close look at some of the festive options on offer to licensees.

Warming​

Mulled wine has long been a Christmas best-seller, with mulled cider now joining the ranks of popular warming tipples. While mulling your own can be laborious, Susan Burdge, owner of the Nobody Inn in Doddiscombsleigh, Devon, feels that the end result is worth it. “We sell gallons of our mulled wine with a great margin,” she says.

Any whisky, and most brandy/rum cocktails, will be in demand during the winter, including hot toddies and Irish coffees. Bristol’s Rummer Hotel, an independent cocktail bar and restaurant, sells a range of hot toddies that are particularly popular with day-time shoppers.

Classic cocktails like the Rusty Nail, with its Scotch and Drambuie combination, and Bloody Marys, with their hot pepper sauce, all have their place on a winter warmer menu, but pubs should consider more unusual offerings too. Not for the faint-hearted, the ‘Nobody Knockout’ at the Nobody Inn, consists of hot Bovril with a shot of Port.

Luxury​

Christmas is a time for indulgence, so licensees who add a touch of luxury to their festive cocktails will have a recipe for success. Global Brands’ Thorntons Chocolate Liqueur is making the most of the winter opportunity by promoting speciality hot serves such as the Thorntons Chocolate Liqueur mocha and hot chocolate.

Licensees looking to add some bling to their cocktails menu should also consider the company’s Goldschläger — a hot cinnamon schnapps with floating flakes of real 24-carat gold. Diageo’s Baileys is a Christmas classic but is also available in a range of alternative flavours for those wanting to try something different. Its Baileys Chocolatini recipe, combining the orange truffle variant, Smirnoff vodka and chocolate syrup, is the perfect treat for chocoholics.

Fruity​
Orange liqueurs such as Cointreau and Grand Marnier and berry flavours such as Gordon’s sloe gin all inject seasonal fruitiness into a cocktail offering but, for those licensees looking for something more unusual, Teichenné, the range of fruit liqueurs from Global Brands, offers further scope for Christmas indulgence with its peach, green apple and raspberry schnapps variants.

The brand also offers stockists ‘build your own cocktail’ PoS. The support, which includes disposable menus, screen media and pitchers, allows consumers to create their own recipes.

Licensees may also want to consider adding some warming fruit flavours, such as blackberry, greengage and quince, from the Bramley and Gage range of fruit gins and liqueurs, to their winter line-up.

Leading drinks supplier Diageo has developed a list of suggested Christmas serves and garnishes for its core brands, to share with outlets ahead of the festive season, including fruity suggestions such as the Apple Strudel cocktail, combining Captain Morgan’s Spiced rum, Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka, amaretto, apple juice and bitters.
 
Shared serves​

Global Brands’ Green believes the opportunity to profit this Christmas is not just with single serves but also sharing cocktails. Two of the company’s ready-to-drink ranges, VK and Corky’s, are working together to offer unique festive cocktails in pitchers or fishbowls.

Combinations such as Apple Crumble and Cherry Christmas mix the fruity flavours of VK and Corky’s with more indulgent tastes such as amaretto and Goldschläger.

To support licensees, from mid-November to 1 January, the company will also be promoting a range of festive serves to maximise the trade-up opportunity.
Keep it simple​

James Coston, UK brand ambassador for flavoured syrup manufacturer Monin, says that “adding a flavour, such as Monin Hibiscus or Monin Rose syrup, to a flute of Champagne creates something stylish and refreshing”. Coston adds: “Alternatively, the taste of Monin Rosemary syrup provides a glass of bubbly with a special twist.”

The need for simplicity is echoed by Brett Hirt, of the Rummer Hotel in Bristol. “It is always better to produce a good, quick cocktail with an easy recipe” he explains. “We ran an entire menu of ‘blazers’ one year, which had to be withdrawn as they were too time-consuming to produce in the volumes required.”

How licensees can make the most of the Christmas cocktail opportunity​

■ Offer more unusual cocktails as tasters.

■ Promote a cocktail of the day.

■ Offer a cocktail as part of your Christmas party packages.

■ Host a Christmas cocktail-making masterclass.

■ Product-specific gift cards, for more expensive cocktails, make great Xmas presents.

■ Invite your spirits suppliers to hold tastings, or stage a Christmas showcase to give customers the opportunity to sample your festive offering.

■ Offer bespoke cocktails. ETM Group’s Chiswell Street Dining Rooms, in the City of London, and the Botanist in Sloane Square, offer guests the option of having special cocktails created solely for their event.

Tips provided by the Nobody Inn, Doddiscombsleigh, Exeter, Devon; and the Rummer Hotel, Bristol

How to create a cocktail list​

■ Choose a cocktail list that suits your style of outlet.

■ Choose a short, well-thought-out list with a few key cocktails.

■ Consider mental associations. Mojitos and Daiquiris conjure up images of exotic climes, while hot chocolate with rum and Champagne cocktails are associated with the cold and celebration.

■ Herbs, such as rosemary, are a great alternative garnish at Christmas.

■ Try new twists on old ideas. For example, by using Diageo’s Captain Morgan’s Spiced rum as an alternative to white rum, consumers can enjoy a spiced Mojito instead of a standard Mojito.

■ Ensure cocktail menus are interesting and attractive.

■ Choosing a cocktail can be daunting. Adding a small icon to show how the drink will be presented to help new consumers make an informed choice.

■ Ensure value to the guest and a range of price-points.  

■ Choose quality ingredients to justify a price premium.

■ Use interesting, quality glassware.

Tips provided by Diageo and the Rummer Hotel, Bristol.