Spirits & Cocktails

How many spirits should my pub stock after coronavirus lockdown?

In association with Diageo

How to sell spirits post-lockdown

By Nicholas Robinson

What will customers want when the pub trade reopens is the million-pound question operators across the UK are likely to be asking as they prepare their sites for the first influx of socially distanced punters. And following a steady uptick in sales over...

Support: $100m to help pubs and bars globally

$100m on-trade global recovery fund launched by Diageo

By Nicholas Robinson

Spirits and beer giant Diageo has announced the launch of a global recovery fund for the on-trade which will see $100m (£79m) of financial support made available to the hospitality sector.

Lessons: how is Spain reopening its hospitality sector?

Top 50 Cocktail Bars

Lessons for UK cocktail bars from Spain

By Nicholas Robinson

While the coronavirus pandemic has caused significant headaches for countless businesses across the world, in some ways it has brought sectors closer together. With everyone facing the same challenges, now is the time to learn the challenges other operators...

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Top 50 Cocktail Bars launches online speakeasy

By Nicholas Robinson

Top 50 Cocktail Bars has launched an online, invite-only, speakeasy bar with partner Kuckoo and is set to open the virtual doors for the first time this Thursday evening (23 April).

Help is at hand: Diageo has a host of phone lines and online streams to help its customers

In association with Diageo

Diageo shows strong commitment to sector

By The Morning Advertiser

Diageo has unveiled help for its customers through phone lines so they can access financial assistance, equipment care and also live online training.

Funding: Diageo launches helpline and funding

#UnitedWeStand

Diageo pledges major support for on-trade

By Nicholas Robinson

Global drinks supplier Diageo has pledged a £1m fund to help operators during the coronavirus pandemic, as well the launch of a new information line for the independent, licensed business owners.

Juicy aroma: Absolut is hoping its new passion fruit variant will be a hit for summer

Absolut launches passion fruit variant

By Alice Leader

Absolut is set to continue its strong presence in the flavoured vodka category by introducing a tropical flair of passion fruit as its newest addition.

Pineapple paradise: the new flavour follows rapid growth of more than 570% in global sales of the brand last year

Dead Man’s Fingers launches pineapple rum

By Alice Leader

Tapping into the booming cocktails trend, rum brand Dead Man’s Fingers is taking tropical fruit to the dark side with the launch of its new pineapple rum.

Prepared: the Government outlines measures for coronavirus preparation in its Budget

Budget 2020

Pubs win in Budget 2020 with significant financial support

By Nicholas Robinson

Teetotal Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak paid critical attention to the pub trade in the release of his 2020 Budget today (11 March), as the sector braces itself for a hammering by coronavirus.

Pub view: live coverage of the Spring Budget

Budget 2020

Budget 2020 – Duty increase on beer, cider, wine and spirits frozen

By MA Reporters

Freeze on alcohol duties and business rates on pubs with rateable value under £51,000 abolished. Plus, national living wage to rise to £10.50 per hour by 2024. Here is a blow-by-blow account of Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak's first Budget.

Berry cool: gin brand Bombay Sapphire has released its first coloured gin with a blackberry variant

Bombay Sapphire launches berry gin

By Emily Hawkins

Premium gin brand Bombay Sapphire has released a berry flavoured variant, as flavoured gins continue to drive growth in the category.

Growing portfolio: the new variant will be available this week (12 March)

Kopparberg launches new gin flavour

By Nikkie Thatcher

Swedish drinks supplier Kopparberg has announced a new flavour to its gin portfolio – Passionfruit & Orange – which will be available this month (12 March).

Sweet sales: new data reveals rum is becoming an increasingly popular tipple and could be in line to take the gin limelight

Rum on target to steal gin’s crown

By Alice Leader

New data shows rum is on course to hit the same heights as gin, as sales rose by 7% year on year in 2019, according to CGA.

Citrus hit: Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon is the latest variant in the brand’s gin portfolio

Gordon’s launches lemon gin

By Nikkie Thatcher

Diageo-owned Gordon’s has announced its new Sicilian Lemon gin variant, which offers “a Mediterranean twist on the original recipe”.

Previous experience: Gareth Bath counts BrewDog and Chapel Down as former workplaces

Ex-BrewDog and Chapel Down boss joins Distill

By Nikkie Thatcher

Ex-BrewDog and Chapel Down managing director Gareth Bath has been appointed as the boss of Distill Ventures – a business that gives entrepreneurial companies a foot up in the hospitality world.

Category growth: CGA research suggests a third of consumers tried a low or no-alcohol product in the last six months of 2019

What do pub-goers want to see on drinks menus in 2020?

By Emily Hawkins

Whether it is introducing a new range, cutting down on variants that don’t sell or lining up the latest in no and low-alcohol options, it’s time to review your drinks list and target your customer base better this year.

Growing trends: 'the big drink trends developing in 2019 centre around sustainable cocktails, craft fruit beers, no-and-low alcohol spirits and wine in cans,' according to Adrian Taylor, head of on-trade for Roust

Which drinks trends have caught on in 2019?

By Nikkie Thatcher

Whether your customers still love their beer or perhaps a spirit, while others may not indulge in alcohol at all, there have been plenty of trends to take advantage of this year.

Crunching the numbers: an in-depth look at the best performing brands and variants in every beverage category in the on-trade

Drinks list 2020

The Drinks List: Top Brands to Stock 2020

By Nicholas Robinson

Getting to grips with data in The Morning Advertiser’s Drinks List 2019 will give operators a head start in formulating successful drinks menus.

Rum’s the word: while the overall rum market only grew marginally, excitement surrounds the category for 2020

Rum set to be next big spirit in 2020

By Nikkie Thatcher

Sales of dark and golden rums are on the rise as in the 12 months to June 2019, dark rums were worth £127m and golden rums £383m, according to a new report.

Festive spirit: operators are more likely to be able to turn people on to a different tipple at this time of year

What are 2019's biggest party drink trends?

By Emily Hawkins

Now is the ideal time to offer your customers a different drink to their usual because research shows people are more willing to experiment at this time of year.

All about the 'Gram: how to make your drink a social media star

In association with Diageo

How to make a drink Instagrammable

By Nicholas Robinson

The phrase ‘people are drinking less, but better’ is well-used, but gives the pub and bar trade something they can really use to their advantage.

Colourless cocktails: gender-neutral range aims to provide more inclusive variety

Are gender-neutral cocktails a thing?

By Alice Leader

A new survey has revealed 21% of participants do not feel comfortable drinking certain cocktails as they feel they are better suited to the opposite gender.

Cutting queues: bartenders could be unaware they are losing customers

Long queue times ‘drives customers away’

By Alice Leader

New research shows queues could be losing bartenders more customers than they realise, with the average British consumer waiting up to a whopping 12 hours a year for their cocktails.

In the mix: Tales & Tender’s cocktail draught system is set to speed up cocktail making

Cocktail operator is van-tastic

By Alice Leader

Tales & Tender founder Nick Whitby claims his cocktail contraption “is like having a bartender with 15 arms, under the counter and behind the scenes”.

Gourd opportunity: Halloween sales are on the rise

Halloween provides big drinks sales uptick

By Nicholas Robinson

Big kids are getting in on the Halloween action, giving pubs a big rise in drinks sales, with spirits in particular seeing strong growth, new data has suggested.

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