Mine's a Mojito: demand for cocktails goes mainstream
Cocktails have moved into the mainstream market, with more than three-quarters of the country's bars now selling cocktails, according to research from CGA Strategy.
The value of the cocktail market is also being driven up, with consumers demanding healthier ingredients and premium mixed drinks to be included in the mix, CGA's latest Mixed Drinks Report shows.
London is leading the way in the rising demand for cocktails, with 36% of outlets now selling them.
CGA Strategy's report also shows a move towards healthier cocktail options, with 29% of cocktail drinkers preferring to order skinny options, up 13% on last year, mirroring the wider UK trend of healthier drinking and eating.
The cocktail market also reflects the rising interest in craft producers and micro distilleries, with one in four frequently drinking cocktails made with premium spirits.
The Mixed Drinks Report calculates that cocktails now account for 6% of all spirit sales by volume, continuing a steady increase over the last few years.
The Mojito remains the country's most popular cocktail, says the report. However the Pornstar Martini is growing in popularity, as the fourth most-bought, holding a market share of 8%.
Vodka remains the most common ingredient, featuring in 64% of cocktails served. However the report found that gin and sparkling wine are in increasing demand as part of the cocktail mix, attaining 16% and 11% of sales respectively.
Cocktails are also no longer the preserve of female drinkers, says the report, with men now accounting for 45% of total consumption.
Cocktail fans are also becoming a lucrative market, with the report showing that cocktail drinkers tend to drink out 25% more often than average consumers and are also twice as likely to try new drinks.
CGA Strategy client services director Rachel Perryman said: "Our research reveals how bars have transformed the cocktail market, taking mixed drinks from the niches of drinking out to a hugely popular mainstream consumer choice. And with the peak cocktail season of summer fast approaching, this report illustrates the great opportunities that bars, pubs and restaurants now have to take their sales to new heights."
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