Speciality-Food-Magazine-September-2024

offer will meet many of the desires of today’s customer to be doing the right thing.” A thirst for gin A mainstay of any drinks cabinet, gin comes into its own during the festive season, and with a few seasonal nudges from retailers shoppers are sure to add it to their gift list and party menus. “Providing ideas for lovely Christmas cocktails certainly works for us,” begins Natalie Hall, director at York Drinks. “We add gin to grenadine and lime juice in a Nick & Nora glass with a sugared rim. The deep red and sparkly white never fail to make guests to our tastings feel Christmassy. We call it the Fairytale of Old York.” When it comes to promotion around cocktails and pairings, the only limit is your imagination. “Making gin the go-to party spirit is never too tricky as it’s such a versatile drink!” says Natalie. “And with lots of eating around this time of year, the G&T is the pre- prandial par excellence.” that would make the special occasion go with a bang. If in-store wine tastings are feasible, they will help customers engage with a new product and to assess whether this is right for their occasion or for the gift recipient.” All wines are not made equally, and it’s important to tick the boxes that conscientious shoppers are demanding from fine food and drink and the retailers who stock it. “Shoppers today are also more discerning about the wine’s credentials,” says Peter. “Has the product been made and packaged in an environmentally conscious way that supports protection of the environment? Has it been produced locally supporting local communities? Is it made of natural ingredients, avoiding the use of traditional additives (such as sulphites) or has it been cleared using animal products? Has the product been packaged to encourage responsible drinking? If all these elements can be combined, such as with Wine That’s Fruit, then the This versatility, and the huge variety of gins on the market offering a kaleidoscope of flavours, makes gin a worthwhile addition to your gifting display. “Gift sets of miniature gins make lovely presents, providing people the chance to taste several gins during the cold dark new year,” says Natalie. “This plays on the variety of gins available today.” To quench this thirst, York Drinks sells triple packs of its classic gins (London, Old Tom and Navy) and its more inventive range (Chocolate & Orange, Roman Fruit and Rhubarb). “Last year, we sold lots of sets of gin and marmalade and jam to make ‘Easy Martinis’.” Innovation is the name of the game in the gin world, and consumers are happy to experiment with the latest launches, says Natalie, particularly at Christmas. “We see a spike in interest and sales when we launch a new flavour. And there is a seasonal aspect to the different flavours of gin. Our Chocolate & Orange gin inspired by the Terry’s Chocolate Orange, invented in York and made in the city for decades is always popular during the festive season.” Go low/no While Christmas may traditionally be the time of much merriment (read: an additional hangover or two), the move towards abstinence is just as present during the festive season as at other times of year. “With one in three consumers now alcohol-free [Lumina Intelligence], it’s important nowmore than ever to be offering customers high-quality soft drinks which are a complex alternative to alcohol,” begins Rhian Morris, marketing manager at Luscombe. Thankfully, the low/no sector has plenty to offer these shoppers as 2024 draws to a close – including an exciting new launch from Luscombe itself. “As the festive season approaches, customers will be looking for something a little different and to elevate their usual choices, this is where soft drinks with a seasonal twist can really do well. Interesting flavours which give a nod to the festive season will be extremely popular and we’ve seen this previously with our Sicilian Citrus Crush, Passion Fruit Ginger Beer and past release, Cranberry Crush. We are extremely excited to launch a newMulled Winter Warmer from Luscombe this year, our first seasonal winter specific product launch. Available from October, it’s a delicious non-alcoholic alternative to traditional mulled wine and is perfect for cosy winter evenings and festive celebrations. A harmonious blend of organic fruit and traditional mulling spices it can be enjoyed warm or cold and will be available in both 27cl and 74cl bottles.” Classic flavours with a twist also promise strong sales. “Our multi- award-winning organic ginger beers are also very popular at Christmas and include our Hot, Cool and Passion Fruit Ginger Beer,” says Rhian. “With warmth and spice, they are just perfect for Christmas and are best served over ice with a slice or a curl of lemon or lime to complement the warmth of the ginger but also make superb additions to cocktails made at home such as MoscowMule and Dark and Stormy.” specialityfoodmagazine.com 31 CHRISTMAS 2024 STOCK CHECK S P E C I A L I T Y F O O D M A G A Z I N E * 2 0 2 4 * SUMAWINTER BERRIES KOMBUCHA A blend of raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries, complemented by a hint of hibiscus and rosehip. suma.coop SACRED CARDAMOMGIN Classic London Dry gin infused with exotic botanicals and with an addition punch from an abundance of organic green cardamom pods. sacredgin.com YORK GIN YORK ZERO Classic juniper and coriander notes are complemented by fresh zesty orange in this alcohol-free spirit. yorkgin.com ARTISAN DRINKS VIOLET BLOSSOM TONIC A soft bubbler ideal to offer as a unique soft drink option or as a mixer. Combines violet and apple blossom and elderflower. artisandrinks.com TIPTREE CHRISTMAS PUDDING RUM LIQUEUR Small-batch craft English Rum distilled with handmade Tiptree Christmas Puddings. tiptree.com BELVOIR FARM SPARKLING CLEMENTINE & CRANBERRY A refreshingly festive sparkling soft drink with the perfect balance of sweet clementine and sharp cranberry. belvoirfarm.co.uk TRACK SPICED RUM A light, botanical-style spiced rum, bright with Seville orange peel, vanilla, cloves, ginger and cinnamon. Ideal on the rocks or with a mixer. 8trackrum.co m LUSCOMBE MULLEDWINTER WARMER A delicious non-alcoholic alternative to traditional mulled wine, this can be enjoyed warm or cold. luscombe.co.uk BLACK LINES DRINKS OATNOG A dairy-free take on eggnog, filled with wintery spices. For every bottle sold five meals are donated to The Felix Project charity. blacklinesdrinks.com WILD KNIGHT CHOCOLATE MARTINI Crafted with organic Criollo cacao beans from the Peruvian Amazon, this boasts complex notes of fruit and nuts. wildknightdistillery.co.uk HOW TO SELL: CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS Ollie Lloyd, advisor, investor and presenter of The FoodTalk Show shares ideas to get your spirits sales flying Over the last twenty years, foodies have thrown themselves into creating any number of chef-inspired creations. However, this creativity doesn’t translate into cocktail- making. To inspire customers to create cocktails this season, you must encourage them to experiment without overwhelming them. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to offer simple serving suggestions so that with the help of one or two items, foodies can craft cocktails that get talked about. This could be a bottle of rum, which, when combined with lime, ginger beer, and bitters, will create a mean dark and stormy. Or it could be triple sec, which, when combined with vodka, cranberry juice, and lime, can make a delicious Cosmo. If you want to get foodies really engaged, you can always encourage them to infuse an old bottle of gin or vodka that has been languishing in the back of the drinks cupboard with some of your fresh produce. A few recipe cards and some Kilner jars could get your customers to create any number of unique spirits that could even be presents for friends. There are also lots of clever cheats that can make a simple drink that little bit special. You can mix in a teaspoon of marmalade into a G&T or throw in a fun garnish from rosemary to thyme. Or you can offer up a range of seasonings or bitters that make drinks people are already used to, a bit more interesting and festive.