WE’RE IN AN AGE WHEN consumers like their food and drink to tell them a story. They demand authenticity and want to know exactly where it came from, and how it was reared and/or grown. Such information has been commonplace with products such as steak and wine for some time, but it’s now more prevalent with mixers.

At Franklin & Sons, for example, the foundation of its tonics and mixers is Staffordshire water and the finest British sugar.

Meanwhile, Spanish brand Indi & Co is made via a “detailed and intricate production process”, which takes eight weeks. Botanicals from around the world are macerated and then distilled in antique copper pot stills within the company’s 200-year-old distillery.

And communication of the process is working as Indi is performing particularly well in Italy, in the premium on-trade channel where some of the best bartenders in the country – including Mirko Turconi, named Best Italian Bartender 2017 – favour the brand.

Noemi Calaresu, key account manager for Indi Essences, says: “Another important European market is Germany, in both the premium on and off-trade channels. In a blind tasting, German drink magazine Falstaff rated us as the best tonic in the market.

“We’ve also recently had a wave of interest and sales in Scandinavia, where the G&T trend has not yet reached its peak. First in Denmark, then Sweden and Norway.”

Calaresu says the brand is also doing well in the US, Mexico, South America and Hong Kong – where the strawberry tonic is particularly popular.

GLOBAL SUCCESS

Meanwhile, the UAE is a key market for Franklin & Sons according to Jen Draper, head of marketing. “Gin and other spirits are rising in popularity there, pushing up sales of tonic water and mixers. Premium gin in particular is currently in growth (up 10%,

according to GBL data), mainly driven by the on-trade in four and five-star hotels and resorts.”

Of course, you can’t mention premium mixers without mentioning Fever-Tree, which is enjoying tremendous success across many markets. Indeed the brand is exported to 65 countries and is available in some of the world’s best bars, hotels and restaurants.

Richard Cuthbert, international marketing director at Fever-Tree, says: “We are the largest and fastest growing premium mixer business globally and so are fortunate enough to have great access to developments in the international bar trade. Bartenders and operators that have championed our product from the start trust in our product launches, which helps the consumer discover new flavours. At Fever-Tree we aim to drive trends, responding to customer market research with new product development.”

Cuthbert says the company’s dark spirits range is a perfect example of this NPD, with which it is hoping to work its magic on the category, as it did with the G&T. “Globally premium dark spirits, including whiskies, rums and brandies, are the most consumed premium spirits, making up 60% of the total premium spirits consumption compared with gin at just 6%, so it made sense to develop a portfolio reflecting this.”

TO THE DARK SIDE

The Fever-Tree dark spirit range began last year with a traditional Ginger Ale and a Ginger Beer, followed by Madagascan Cola. Now there are the new Spiced Orange and Smoky Ginger Ales, which Cuthbert says are being introduced into key accounts where the response has been very positive.

“The flavours are sophisticated and unique and help place us at the forefront of the premium mixer category once again,” he says.

Spices & Oakwood is the latest flavour to join the Double Dutch mixers range. The company says it is delicious with a variety of spirits but can also be drunk on its own as an adult soft drink. Described as “the flavour of the season”, it’s a limited edition that will be available until March 2018.

The ‘spices’ part of the drink combines cinnamon, cloves, star anise and nutmeg with sweet vanilla, while oakwood, which is traditionally used by wine and spirit makers, rounds out the profile with “a woody profoundness that rewards the palate and gladdens the taste buds”.

As well as scoring on flavour, the drink scores on calories as it contains the lowest number in the Double Dutch range – just 42 calories per bottle.

Vantguard PR and communications manager Ivan Gerrera says the mixers market is all about coming up with flavours that match specific spirits or serves – for example Pink Grapefruit with Paloma. “Also, versatility is something that premium soft drink makers like us want to provide to bartenders and customers in general,” he says. “A drink that can play with different spirits and drinks (such as calvados, cachaça, coffee etc), because it’s not only what a new flavour can offer, but it’s how other drinks interact with it.”

However, Gerrera says the most important factor of all remains how the drinks are produced. “The market is being flooded with new recipes and flavours that have a short life and only a few of them will survive. In our case, as manufacturers, we prefer to be consistent in what we make.”

He says the strength of the company’s 1724 tonic water is its gentle bitterness, fine bubbles and citric hints, which enhance the aromatic and palate profile of such different spirits and drinks.

Premium mixers are often served straight, as soft drinks but, however they are served they command premium prices, which is good news for a bar/hotel’s bottom line and it seems that consumers don’t mind paying more for quality.

“We do not believe pricing is an issue. Consumers are willing to pay more for a better, all-natural product, therefore Fever-Tree is continuing to grow both in the UK and internationally,” says Cuthbert.

Dimitris Dafopoulos, co-founder of Three Cents Artisanal Beverages Co, believes that over the past few years consumers have learnt to distinguish the vast differences between mixers and are therefore choosing better ones to mix with their drinks. “The amount someone is prepared to pay is not clear to us yet, but I believe that anyone would spend £2 for a tonic to mix with their super-premium gin,” he says.

IMPORTANCE OF SERVE

Obviously the actual serve is crucial in communicating that drinkers are getting a premium beverage – with or without alcohol.

“Just because a customer is drinking a soft drink, it does not mean they want to be treated like a less important consumer,” says Draper. “Discerning consumers still search for an experience they can’t get at home and now expect flamboyance, such as dedicated menus, interesting glassware and fresh garnishes with their drinks.

“The Franklin & Sons perfect serve guides have been designed to help bartenders and managers meet expectations and provide drinkers with the experience they desire.”

Frobishers Juices encourages bar owners to make its soft drinks more visible to customers, through imaginative displays, menus or blackboards.

“A customer wants to see choice and range whether they drink alcohol or not,” says Steve Carter, sales & marketing director.

“Our research revealed that all too often customers are left in the dark when it comes to the range of soft drinks available behind the bar and, as a consequence, opt for a run-of-the-mill low-value default purchase. This does little to inspire them or help the bar owner understand more about the potential value of the category.

“A little staff interaction, recommendation and enhanced display tactics can do much to reduce panic purchasing at the bar, encouraging customers to try something new and different and enabling the operator to benefit from the increased profit that a move to more premium-based products can offer,” he adds.

RIGHT AUDIENCE

When Fever-Tree launches a product, it seeds to appropriate key accounts where it is confident the customers will be made aware of it and will be able to experience it in a premium environment.

“Most recently we did this in London with the new ginger variants, seeding them to bars known for an exceptional range of dark spirits. That said, Fever-Tree is not just a UK brand and we have also conducted a multi-market PR roadshow, targeting key influencer cities with our dark spirit mixing message,” says Cuthbert.

Presentation includes the bottles themselves, and Indi & Co scores highly here thanks to its beautifully designed labels, which spill over to its outer packaging.

Coca-Cola may not be considered a ‘premium’ drink by some people, but there’s no arguing its popularity. Serving it in its iconic

glass bottle does convey a quality message and a One Pulse survey conducted earlier this year found that 75% of drinkers prefer the original glass bottle, with 64% of them happy to pay more for it.

Meanwhile Schweppes, which according to Nielsen data is the UK’s favourite mixer brand, is being backed by its biggest GB investment in 200 years. This includes the launch of a premium, skittle-shaped bottle as well as the introduction of the Schweppes 1783 naturally flavoured mixers range for “discerning drinkers”.

The new bottle was unveiled at London Cocktail Week where consumers took part in a flavour experiment in a multi-storey lab dating back to the 1800s.

As for the new Schweppes 1783 range, it is said to combine the perfect carbonation and balanced taste of Schweppes with natural ingredients and unique flavours.

The five-strong line-up comprises: Crisp Tonic Water, Light Tonic Water, Golden Ginger Ale, Salty Lemon Tonic Water and Quenching Cucumber Tonic Water.

In Spain, Coca-Cola recently launched the Royal Bliss range of premium mixers available exclusively in glass bottles in restaurants and bars. There are eight varieties including Expressive Orange (orange, grapefruit, mandarin, kumquat and tropical fruits) and Exotic Yuzu Sensation Tonic Water (mandarin, grapefruit and yuzu).

At the time of the launch, Paloma Cruz Caridad, director of carbonated beverages, Coca-Cola Spain and Portugal, said: “There’s a new generation of consumers with an eye for quality, care and detail. They are looking to experiment and are keen to discover new sensations.”

Finally, Red Bull recently launched a range of premium mixers on to the Austrian market. Called Organics by Red Bull it includes Simply Cola, which has been available for some time, but also Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale and Tonic Water.

The range is certified as organic under EU definitions and is made from 100% natural ingredients.

The one sticking point is its packaging. Apparently the company trialled the drinks in glass bottles but reverted to 25cl cans, which are available in the on and off-trades. However, as many bartenders prefer a bottled mixer, it remains to be seen whether the company has another big hit on its hands.