2022 Cocktail Trends Report

A Foresight Report for Bacardi

report
featured-post
category - alcohol
category - covid-19
sector - food & drink
type - case studies
Case Studies
Looking ahead at the key trends impacting cocktail consumption and the spirits business in 2022, Bacardi commissioned The Future Laboratory to produce a new foresight report identifying these trends and insights that will shape the future of cocktails for 2022

Events of the past two years haven’t just changed the world; they have accelerated the ways in which we engage with it and the technologies we use to do so. If 2021 was about the world recalibrating and finding its feet after a period of unprecedented turbulence, 2022 will be remembered as the year when the world began to flourish again.

Pent-up demand will be unleashed into a hyper-accelerated landscape by consumers with evolved needs, values, and mindsets. For cocktail consumption and the spirits business in 2022, this will transform everything from drinks desired, flavor expectations, and drinking occasions through to ethical action and ways of creating cocktails.

“We’ve spent our time fretting about the new normal when we should be talking about the new extra-ordinary. The pandemic has precipitated scientific advancement, championed innovation, and ushered in a new age of collaboration, challenge, and accelerated change,” says Martin Raymond, co-founder of The Future Laboratory

Combining expert interviews with consumer insight, The Future Laboratory identified the emerging trends and attitudes that will transform the drink and alcohol markets. This report, made in collaboration with Bacardi, draws on insights from Bacardi-led consumer and brand ambassador surveys, interviews with the bar and restaurant trade, Nielsen CGA data, and The Future Laboratory’s independent research – helping Bacardi to communicate with its customers effectively.

Click below to discover the resulting 2022 Cocktail Trends Report, with key take-outs and statistics for this new era.

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Commissioned by:

17 December 2021

Author: The Future Laboratory

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If you are interested in finding out more about our Foresight reports that combine quantitative and qualitative research with original case studies and innovations to achieve your business objectives, click here.

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: Seeking Sustainability

Bacardi

: Community Spirits : Social responsibility has never been more important to consumers, with the pandemic pushing people to seek out brands that empower and support diverse communities, from local businesses through to social justice movements.

: Regenerative Refreshments : The Bacardi Consumer Survey 2021 showed that more than 50% of respondents globally are focused on using recyclable packaging and the reduction of single-use plastic as key themes in the space of sustainability. Bacardi has been investing heavily in this space for some time now with actions to diminish its environmental footprint through the Bacardi Good Spirited programs.

: Natural Selections : The past year has seen a renewed appreciation for nature among consumers, with the natural world providing a vital retreat from the stresses of the pandemic. In the U.S., 58% of people say they didn’t appreciate nature as much as they should have before Covid-19, according to the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation.

‘Today, the conversation on sustainability has moved on from how companies can minimize their environmental damage to how they can actively create a positive impact.’ 

Jamie Lippman, Corporate Responsibility Director at Bacardi

: Transformative Times

Bacardi

In 2022, people will seek out cocktail experiences that deliver transformation, celebrate the power of social connection, embrace new experiences and strive for learning and personal growth.

Some of these emerging, indulgent trends including:

: Cultural connections
Across the globe, a wealth of pent-up demand for social experiences will drive new, celebratory directions when it comes to drinking in 2022, as people seek out convivial cocktail experiences that help them reconnect, empower their relationships, and deliver a sense of belonging.

: Timely delights
As we emerge out of lockdowns across the world, the appetite for new nightlife and social experiences is peaking, with almost six in 10 people saying that something new and different is an important factor in choosing a cocktail at a bar, club or restaurant. To meet this demand, 2022 will see brands drive customers to bricks-and- mortar locations through temporary pop-up alcohol and nightlife partnerships that capitalize on an experiential boom.

: Liquid learning
Desire for personal transformation will see 2022’s consumers demand edifying experiences when it comes to cocktails, as they seek to learn all they can about the category, from how to make the best concoctions through to the heritage and history of the spirits on their shelves.

Discover our new Food & Drink Futures report – a look at a future shift towards future-proofing brand operations through better engagement with global communities.

DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF FOOD & DRINK 

‘The post-lockdown drinker in the inter-Covid era is looking for meaningful nights out and social experiences. Prepared to invest, they’re opting for quality, especially in crafted cocktails that can be enjoyed and savored rather than downed and forgotten. ’
Chris Sanderson, co-founder, The Future Laboratory

: Luxury Libations

Bacardi

Evolving post-pandemic attitudes are driving premiumization across drinks categories. Increasingly discerning consumers – who spent much of the past year at home improving their mixology skills – have a stronger desire for better, more luxurious spirits and are driven to seek high-quality cocktails.

Faced with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, people across the world have spent the past two years experimenting with cocktail creations and learning more about the spirits they enjoy. As a result, discerning attitudes are emerging among new alcohol connoisseurs, who are seeking out high-quality drink experiences – driving another wave of premiumization across spirit categories.

According to the Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador Survey 2021, 50% of bartenders globally report that their customers are drinking more premium drinks. This represents an evolution in bar-goers’ behavior since the start of the pandemic. The Bacardi Consumer Survey 2021 reveals that 75% of people in the United States say high-quality cocktails are important to them, while 50% of spirits drinkers in India and Mexico and 30% in the United Kingdom and Brazil plan to drink more premium cocktails in 2022. While digital platforms can’t replace human contact, the Bacardi Global Brand.

This is just a snippet of the 2022 Cocktail Trends Report. Click below to download the full report PDF.
READ THE FULL REPORT 

‘The RTD category will continue its ascent in 2022 as it unshackles itself from the bright, sticky, and cheap concoctions that defined its birth.’
Chris Sanderson, co-founder, The Future Laboratory
 

Are you ready for what’s new and next?

To learn more from about The Cocktail Trends of 2022, download the full article here. 

If you are interested in finding out more about our foresight reports that combine quantitative and qualitative research with original case studies and innovations to achieve your business objectives, click here.

For more about our client reports and case studies, get in touch with a member of our team.


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