Premiumisation and ‘mindful drinking’ have been identified as top drinks trends for BWS as it launches 100 Days of Summer.
‘Mindful drinking’ is the latest health craze among Aussie consumers, with the popularity of Dry January, low-carb beer, alcohol-free spirits and hard kombucha all on the rise.
According to Danny Brager, Senior Vice-President, Beverage Alcohol Practice (US), beverage drinkers aged 21-34 are particularly mindful, with 66% of them making an effort to reduce their overall consumption of alcohol.
“Australians are reducing the alcohol they consume with one-in-four claiming they have done so recently,” he said. “This is more pronounced for men aged over 40. When exploring the reasons behind the reduction in alcohol intake, 32%” of beer drinkers said they are opting for a healthier lifestyle.”
Brager is also excited about the latest US drinks trend to hit Australia stores – alcoholic seltzer. It’s recorded $1.1billion in sales in the US in the last 12 months and seen 200% growth.
Lion was first into the Australian market with Quincy last week.
Here’s what Ken Russell, Head of Marketing: Customer Experience, Brand & Convenience at BWS, had to say about the hottest drinks trends and what’s planned in store for the coming months.
What are you predicting will be the hot drinks trends in beer at BWS this summer and why?
Craft beer is continuously improving achieving higher sales week on week, the momentum of this sub-category is strong and the expectation is that it’ll only get bigger over the summer break.
Mid-strength beers and non-alcoholic drinks are also gaining momentum and we expect this to particularly spike after New Year’s Eve when customers are setting their new year’s resolutions and want to be more mindful with their drinks choices.
More and more customers are gravitating to low and non-alcohol products.
Are canned products overcoming their previous stigma and taking market share from bottles?
Canned products are definitely overcoming their previous stigma with customers, however canned wine was never created to compete with bottled wine.
Canned wine is breaking down the barrier and bringing new customers into the wine category, who wouldn’t necessarily purchase a whole bottle of wine but would like to try a can. Canned wine also chills faster and is recyclable, which in the current environment resonates well with our customers.
Is canned wine continuing to grow?
Canned wine is going from strength to strength. At BWS we focus on ‘occasion’, events such as BBQs, parties and camping are the perfect occasions for our customers who are used to purchasing bottles of wine to transition to the more convenient can option. The new sparkling and spritz options that are coming through will only help to grow the category.
What are the hot drinks trends in RTD and premix at BWS?
- Lighter styles such as Tanqueray & tonic
- Premiumisation, for example Bombay Sapphire G&T
- Convenience drinks like martini in a can
- As always ‘local’ continues to be a focus, such as Love Can
- Better for you – lighter and innovative styles, for example alcoholic kombucha – this also resonates with our low-alcohol audience as consideration towards wellness is on the up.
How do you think customers will react to the new category of alcoholic seltzer?
Seltzer is growing massively in the US and we expect it to have the same trend in Australia. As with most things, this will take time and we will educate our customers on seltzers through our amazing in-store teams and social media channels. Watch this space …
BWS launches summer one month early with Byron Bay Brewery
BWS has brought summer one month forward with a series of 100 Days of Summer deals.
Between Friday, November 1 and Sunday, November 3, BWS customers can kick off their summer sessions with 60% off Byron Bay Brewery Premium Lagers.
A 6-pack of Byron Bay Brewery Premium Lager will be available for $10 instead of $4 each in BWS stores nationwide/
“BWS go to great lengths for their customers, so much so, that we will even attempt to change the seasons,” Russell said.
“This year we are determined to make summer bigger and better than ever, bringing our favourite season forward one month through our 100 Days of Summer specials to give customers more days of deals. This year, make BWS your go-to destination to nail that six-pack, no sit-ups required!”
New general manager for BWS
Woolworths Group announced this week that it has appointed Scott Davidson as BWS General Manager.
Davidson has spent two years as GM of buying and merchandising at Countdown Supermarkets in New Zealand and will take up the new role in January 2020.
Davidson has been with Woolworths Group for almost 15 years, with experience in merchandising across fresh food, grocery food and liquor.
Endeavour Drinks has been seeking a new BWS General Manager since Guy Brent was appointed as managing director of FoodCo and Metro in July.
As BWS General Manager, Davidson will focus on driving ultra-convenience and customer-first ranging and renewals across the 1300+ store network.
Steve Donohue, Managing Director of Endeavour Drinks, said: ” Scott is an authentic leader who enables his teams to achieve outstanding results.
“The team at BWS has worked hard to set new standards in convenience and service to meet changing customer needs over recent years.
“We’re delighted to have a leader of Scott’s calibre join BWS to help us continue raising the bar for our customers.”
