Rum on target to steal gin’s crown

On-trade sales of gin have more than tripled in the past five years and rum could now be en route to follow its upward path.

CGA client director Phillip Montgomery said: “Sales have got a long way to go to match the stellar performance of gin, but its variety and versatility makes rum a major growth opportunity for operators and suppliers in 2020 and beyond.”

The sales statistics from CGA’s On-Premise Measurement Tool show rum is ahead of other mainstream spirits, such as brandy, which is up 3.1%; whiskey (up 0.9%); and vodka (down 0.4%).

Montgomery continued: “These figures show how rum is an increasingly popular choice for consumers on spirit and cocktail menus.”

Educate and inspire ​

However, Montgomery explained rum consumers are slightly restricted regarding the number of brands they use and the ways they can drink it versus some other categories.

But he said if operators and suppliers can educate and inspire people about the potential of rum, “we could well see more and more people trading up and experimenting”.

The CGA data showed that four in five rum drinkers choose to have it mixed with cola (51%) or diet cola (32%), showing the little awareness of the potential to drink it neat, or paired with juice, ginger ale or other alternatives.

“But with many operators expanding their cocktail and mixer selections, it’s becoming a very competitive arena, and brands are going to have stay right on top of their ranging, pricing and serving strategies to generate drinkers’ loyalty,” Montgomery added.