Premium Mixers: The tonic for mixers

Yet another trend in premium mixers’ favour is that younger people are drinking less alcohol. A study of 10,000 young people in the UK, published in medical journal BMC Public Health, found that the proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds who say they never drink alcohol rose from 18% in 2005 to 29% in 2015. The study also found that young people who did drink alcohol were drinking less and that binge drinking rates were falling.

And it’s not just in the UK that people are shunning alcohol. The proportion of teetotallers in Australia increased from 11% in 2007 to 20% in 2017 (Drinkwise Australia).

Gunna, a new range of craft soft drinks, is positioned to take advantage of this trend. Melvin Jay, CEO of Gunna, says: “People who aren’t drinking want to know that bars are putting as much effort into their soft drinks range – including the products they stock, how they’re served and the aesthetics of the final drink – as they are with their alcoholic serves.

“If they feel they’re being short changed and the only drinks on offer are the usual colas, lemonade and orange options from a tap, they’ll either choose another venue, or stay at home.”

He adds that this extends to soft drinks being used as mixers as well. “There’s been a big movement around drinkers trading up to drink less spirits, but better quality ones, and with this comes the need for a wider variety, and higher quality, of mixer.

“Customers are now so aware of what they are drinking, it is important to showcase the ingredients in a product well. However expensive the spirit, if it’s served with a cheap mixer the flavour of the drink will be instantly ruined.”

And, although created as mixers, Raisthorpe’s Medford says its new Yorkshire tonics are also good on their own, over ice.

Draper at Franklin & Sons says the company’s research found that almost half of under-35s said that they were likely to order a non-alcoholic drink on a night out.

She says the Franklin & Sons range of premium drinks has been created with ‘multi-use’ in mind – as a soft drink or mixed into mocktails.

“There’s no reason why a non-alcoholic mocktail or beautiful soft drink can’t offer the same level of taste satisfaction and stylish serve. Our soft drinks range contains a tertiary ingredient so allows for more complex and interesting mocktails to be made, while ensuring those who don’t drink alcohol often or at all can feel included in the move towards craft drinks.”

COMMUNICATION

This belief fuelled the launch of the new Franklin & Sons’ range of non-alcoholic Infused Sodas. “We based the depth of flavours on the same complex taste of a high-end cocktail and created the drinks to be served in a tall wine glass, over ice with a fruit garnish. As well as a great-tasting non-alcoholic drink, the serving experience, either in a bar or at home, is enhanced. Furthermore, the drinks are only made using all-natural ingredients, which appeals to those paying more attention to what they are drinking.”

In terms of communicating with the on-trade, for Thomas Henry it’s all about bar education, with exclusive masterclasses (such as ice-carving workshops and herbal workshops), exchange events (such as The House Of Thomas Henry) and its livestream academy (thomas-henry.com/bar-academy).

Bachert says its approach is all about giving back to all of its clients – experienced and unexperienced.

Thomas Henry is also the exclusive premium mixer partner of The World’s 50 Best Bars, which makes Bachert a part of the global bartender elite. “Of course, this would barely be possible without our global brand ambassador, Phum Sila-Trakoon and his talented team,” he says.