Customers shopping for beverage alcohol products in a store are more likely to seek out sustainable brands vs. those visiting a bar or restaurant, according to a recent survey by the Beverage Information Group readers.
Just over 28% of the on-premise respondents said that their customers were more interested in sustainable products recently, compared to almost 39% of the off-premise participants. It makes sense, then, that half of the retailer respondents said that they have a section specifically for organic or sustainable products.
Along the same lines, more of the store participants said that they educate sales staff about what makes certain products sustainable/organic/biodynamic vs. the on-premise.
There appears to be more interest in sustainable spirits on-premise, as 29% said their sales trend for sustainable spirits has increased during the past year vs. 17% of retailers. About the same percentage (22%) of both on- and off-premise operators said that sales of sustainable wines have increased.
Twenty-one percent of restaurants said that sales of sustainable beers and sodas vs. 6% of retailer respondents.
Half of the off-premise participants said products that are certified by an organization to be sustainable are more valuable; the other half said that there was no difference. Among on-premise respondents, 43% said products that are certified by an organization to be sustainable are more valuable; 21% said they were less valuable, and 36% said that there was no difference.
Melissa Dowling is editor of Cheers magazine, our on-premise sister publication. Contact her at mdowling@epgmediallc.com, and read her recent piece, Data Driven: Where Tequila Sales Differ.
