Brits love Pornstars

By Lisa Riley

Published: 14 June, 2019

Cocktails are now one of Britain’s fastest growing drinks categories in spirits, according to CGA.

It said sales are up 10% over the past 12 months across restaurants, bars and pubs, taking the market value to £587m.

The number of licensed premises selling cocktails has also risen 7% in the past year, with over 42,000 on-trade outlets offering them.

And based on share of serve through the on-trade, CGA said the UK’s most popular cocktail is the vodka-based Pornstar Martini, served with a shot of Prosecco on the side.

Sales of Pornstar Martinis have risen 2% over the past 12 months with the drink now accounting for 15.3% of cocktails sold, overtaking the Mojito, which now accounts for 12.4% of mainstream sales, down 1.2% on last year.

The rest of the Top 10 are Long Island Iced Tea (+2.1%), Sex on the Beach (-1.5%), Daiquiri (+1.6%), Woo Woo (-1.6%), Espresso Martini (stagnant), Martini (+2.9%), Pina Colada (+0.1%) and at number 10, the gin-based Collins (+0.8%).

“There are two clear trends coming through in the mainstream consumer’s preference for cocktails – that of shorter, more complex drinks with a higher abv like the Martini cocktails, but also a growing preference for longer, more refreshing drinks such as the Collins which has a more sophisticated, less sweet flavour profile,” said CGA drinks expert Charlie Mitchell.

“Tastes have moved away from fruity, sweet drinks with the Woo Woo, Sex on the Beach and Cosmopolitan losing the most favour over the past 12 months. The growing popularity of Aperol Spritz and other spritz serves are part of the trend towards a lighter, more refreshing drink with a lower abv and fewer ingredients allowing the taste of the base spirit to come though.”

CGA also said the increasing popularity of draught or ready-mixed cocktails was starting to make an impact, with 63% of consumers who have seen draught cocktails purchasing them. Meanwhile 83% who have tried pre-batched cocktails said they were likely to repurchase.

“This research illustrates how important it is for drinks suppliers and operators to understand the developments and trends taking place within the growing cocktails category,” said Mitchell. “This will help them provide what the customer wants, when they want it in order to maximise the cocktail opportunity and keep up with tastes that are becoming ever-more sophisticated.”

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