With the summer season in full swing, perhaps it is time to roll out some cool drink ideas that can be the key towards building a stronger beverage program. In recent years, we have seen beverages take a more central role in a restaurant’s menu as food brands seek to fuel their growth.
Krispy Kreme Global President Dan Breem, recently in the Philippines to celebrate the brand’s 1000th store, agreed that part of their brand’s evolution was a step in this direction. “Doughnuts will always be the core of our menu but we need to expand our product line to stay relevant.” They hired Amy Harp as Vice President of Global Strategy, a former Illy executive. Her specialized skill set focused on developing their beverage program for the long-term will definitely yield increased revenue from coffee, tea, and specialty drinks.
What are some foreseeable beverage trends for the year 2015? Here are some of the hot drink concepts that may just be the answer to your liquid profits.
Signature Beverages
According to Technomic, “Cocktails may come in kegs. Classics like the Negroni ride the retro wave but get competition from new wine, beer, and cider cocktails. Flavorful and flavored whiskeys trend up along with spiced rums and liqueurs. Operators are increasingly differentiating themselves with non-alcohol drinks, too—from handcrafted or small-batch sodas to pressed juices to health-halo teas.”
Cocktails, like the Manhattan and Negroni that have been cask-aged for six months, have distinguished Makati Shangri-La’s Sage Bar’s drinks menu.
Micro-local
“The stay-close-to-home spirit heightens interest in everything from house-purified water to locally manufactured products like beers and liquors,” stated Technomic. We have seen the demand and supply for craft beer grow in the past year alone. Expect more players to enter the scene, offering diversity to the growing craft beer-loving market.
2015 Cutting-Edge Culinary Trends
Matcha Madness
According to The Sterling-Rice Group’s Culinary Director Kara Nielsen, “The never-ending quest for wellness and energy will lead many to Japanese matcha, a nutrient powerhouse green tea now hitting the market in convenient formats like lattes, sodas, and ready-to-drink cans.” Here’s to healthy sips on the horizon…
Trend Forecast: 10 Predictions for Specialty Foods in 2015
Tea’s Time
“Although tea is second only to water as the most consumed beverage in the world, it has long taken a backseat to coffee. Recent trends indicate that’s about to change,” stated the Specialty Food Association. It’s about time for tea to take its rightful place.
Dilmah Tea Founder Merrill J. Fernando, together with his son Dilhan, recently held a special Dilmah School of Tea, geared to inspire passion through knowledge of tea.
The Whiteman Report: 11 Hottest Food and Beverage Trends in Hotel and Restaurant Dining for 2015
Soda Fountain Crashes the Bar
According to Baum + Whiteman, “Diet-be-damned adults are splashing booze into ice cream favorites.” Farmacy Ice Cream and Soda Fountain’s After Dark Drinks showcases this perfectly with their range of ice cream sodas with a side of liquor. It’s a case of having your sweets and spirits in one serving.
Try The Farmacy’s After Dark Drinks like Rum and Coke Float (Vanilla ice cream, Don Papa rum and Coke) or Black and Tan (Guinness float with chocolate and vanilla ice cream)
Vodka Cedes the Throne
“Brown whisky at long last outstripped vodka in sales. Bourbon, rye, blends, and Scotch are enjoying a renaissance because drinkers want more body,” stated Baum + Whiteman. In Manila alone, we have seen a number of establishments offering whisky flights and whisky menus. Recently, LIT Japanese whisky bar opened, offering curated whisky options for the discerning whisky connoisseur.
LIT offers a peek into the Japanese whisky culture, with curated and hard to find bottles lining its bar.
Any good beverage program is always anchored on the brand’s identity, strengthening its core products yet differentiating itself from the rest. If it means that we all get to sip products that have not been available before, I will most certainly drink to that.
Photos by Marilen Fontanilla/Select photos from Krispy Kreme Philippines, Thirsty for Tea, Everday Shutters, Golf is More Fun in the Philippines, and the Facebook pages of Craftpoint Brewing Co. Katipunan Craft Ales, Perfect Pint: Craft Beer + Fine Food, and Saint Marc Café Philippines