Tjek’s Post

Today is National Lager Day (not sure why a cold Tuesday in December)! In honour of this, I asked my colleagues on the drinks team at Marvel FMCG - Certified B Corporation® what their favourite lager is (Jake Merrick-wren opted for Budweiser Budvar UK and Kieron Hall went for Red Stripe). Whatever your lager of choice is, we should take a moment to appreciate the dedication it takes to produce the UK's most popular beer style. Staying true to a delicate flavour profile and consistent when ingredients change each season is a big challenge - there's no hiding behind powerful hops here. There's sadly an enduring perception of lager as a cheap commodity, somewhat 'lesser' than other drinks (or even beer styles), something that exists to enable men to get drunk and start fighting. But delve into the history of this 500 year old beer style and consider the work that goes in to the rich variety of lagers (alc and non-alc) we have on offer in the UK, and you might see things differently. Most breweries will make a lager, so support your favourite (big or small), don't judge your own or others' choices, and put lager back on a pedestal where it belongs! Mine's a crisp Pilsner on a thirsty day 🍻

Did you know that we also track grocery range and prices, capturing every SKU across 10 national grocers with history all the way back to October 2022? Give us a shout if you'd like to find out more about how we can help you keep track of what's happening from a pricing perspective across either the grocery or hospitality sectors: [email protected]

𝐈𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐝-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲? 🍻 The latest new product launch in this space caught my eye as I was doing my shopping in Tesco yesterday, making me think about the category opportunity that this is playing into. Changes to the duty rates implemented last August have created an incentive for brewers to innovate in the mid-strength space, with the 𝐝𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟑.𝟓% 𝐀𝐁𝐕 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 £𝟏𝟏.𝟕𝟒 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 (𝐀𝐁𝐕) compared to beers that are between 3.5% and 8.5%. It’s not just about the duty rates though, with 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 being a 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝. However, with many consumers moderating by drinking less serves per occasion or choosing non-alcoholic drinks as opposed to opting for low and no alcohol options, could mid-strength beers hit the sweet spot and have mass appeal? 🎯 I expect that we’ll see lots more activity in this space from some of the biggest global brands in the months ahead, as well as plenty of innovation from smaller, independent players. Let me know your thoughts below. Interested to understand the opportunities in this space. 🚀 #ConsumerTrends #beerindustry #Moderation #Grocery #Tesco

Great article in The Morning Advertiser around how to drive no and low sales in the on-trade 🍻 Some of the key takeaways: Have a high quality offering ✅ Ensure it is visible and accessible for your customer ✅ Don't underestimate the power of the non-drinker! ✅ Expand the reach of AF (lunch-time beers anyone?) ✅ In the pub, PINTS ARE KING ✅ With consumers increasingly seeking healthier, mindful options, it’s critical for venues to know how to present and promote these choices effectively. 👉 Read the full article for actionable tips on making NA offerings a success in your venue: https://lnkd.in/eG2vMWgM Athletic Brewing Co. Chris F. James Griffin Adam Findlay

In Australia and New Zealand, Pepsi very smartly used the OK in Coke to troll their competition. They kept Coke cans beside popular dishes and said that they tasted OK with Coke But very smartly, at the bottom of the same poster, they mentioned that these dishes taste better with Pepsi! Now, this is really risky because it is super easy to miss the small mention of Pepsi at the bottom. Most people would naturally think this is a Coke advertisement. But still, pairing food items with a drink is a great marketing strategy to gain mindshare amongst people. Thumbs up uses this same strategy quite often by pairing itself with Biryani! #pepsi #coke #marketing #advertisment #marketingcampaign #tdc

NEWS 🍺 More than 250M liters of cider was sold in the On-trade channel in the UK last year, worth £1.9B. Out of the volume 76% was sold in draught where apple dominated with its 75% share over flavoured cider (Westons cider report 2024).  Furthermore, the burgeoning crafted cider category continues to grow in the On-trade, offering outlets a point of differentiation and, more importantly, opportunities to add value. In December 2022 the crafted category represented 9.8% volume share of total draught apple yet in 2023 it represented 13.8%, +4ppts. 🍎 As we continue to expand our unique pure juice offering in the crafted segment, we are excited to introduce our Extra Brut (5.5%) and Rosé (4.0%) variants alongside Brut (4.5%) in the new keg format for the trade this autumn. 🇫🇷 As the Westons report further points out, “The crafted apple cider category, more than any other, is perfectly positioned to sit alongside the dynamic range of premium World Beers and sunshine Mediterranean Lagers which are revolutionising the draught beer category”. Interested in Galipette draught format? Drop us a “bonjour” at [email protected] 👋

Drinks Retailing report statistics from Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I that “nearly half (48%) of Generation Z do not plan to drink this Christmas.” Brian Perkins, president of Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I said: “While pressure to drink alcohol may still exist, it is promising to see people resisting this and celebrating moderation. What’s even more positive is that moderation isn’t impacting people’s enjoyment; in fact, these results reaffirm that we can and do still enjoy ourselves just as much.” https://lnkd.in/eb9GKEnj

Later this month, Pennsylvania retailers can apply to sell liquor in the form of ready-to-drink cocktails. Sen. Mike Regan, R-31, sponsored the new legislation that will allow ~10,000 new retail outlets to sell RTD canned cocktails with an ABV of 12.5% or less, matching the ABV requirements for beer and wine. Ultimately, this opens the door for grocers to stock liquor on their shelves next to their beer and wine, without putting high-alcohol products into grocery  and convenience stores. What canned spirit brands will win the race to retail in PA? https://lnkd.in/eYRXgTdG 

Never had this product, but the post is an interesting test case for startup and emerging brands. Big positive is the agility and collaborative approach. Awesome to see a founder, who is rightfully prideful, hear consumer feedback and respond. Many big brands have found their product/market fit by smartly leveraging user feedback. The negative though is that the product gets “commodtized” as it gets “simplified”. Maybe their formula is uniquely great, or it could just be very good and replicable. Challenge for many smaller brands is to be understood simply but not simplified into a product. Still, hats off to this team for what looks like some real entrepreneurial skill.

The April edition of ShelfLife will include the 2024 Irish whiskey report. If you haven't already submitted information on your Irish whiskey brands please get in touch, as the deadline is coming up! IRISH WHISKEY Irish whiskey sales have surged, with global demand on a steady incline. Data from the Irish Whiskey Association reveals that exports surpassed 12 million cases in 2021, a significant uptick from previous years. The United States stands as the primary market for Irish whiskey, followed closely by Canada, the UK, and Germany. Notably, the appeal of premium and super-premium Irish whiskey variations is skyrocketing, fueling growth in both value and volume. With its wide range of offerings and esteemed reputation for quality and craftsmanship, Irish whiskey remains a thriving force in the global spirits industry. Next month, ShelfLife will dive into the latest offerings and developments within this dynamic industry.   If you require more information on the features or would like to discuss advertising, product shots, interviews, and/or editorials please contact me at [email protected] All features are included on our website (29,292 visits/49,630 page views), & our social media platforms. #whiskey #irishwhiskey #distillers #distilley NOffLA #offtrade #convenience #supermarket #forecourt #offlicence Irish Whiskey Association #spirits #retailers #retail #FMCG