Are to-go cocktails here to stay? Many states relaxed restrictions on the sale of mixed drinks in order to help struggling businesses during the pandemic but some of those changes are now being made permanent.
Besides ordering take-out food to assuage the pandemic’s drudgery, consumers benefited from some local U.S. laws changed to accommodate the demand for mixed drinks to go.
ShareThis, the data company focused on mapping comprehensive global consumer interest insights, is seeing that the demand for “Go-Tails” remains higher (24%) compared to the pre-pandemic months of 2020, signaling the practice is here to stay and is potentially a revenue generator for bars and restaurants to boost sales post-pandemic.
The higher shares of alcohol delivery engagement for top apps, such as Swill and Drizly, also indicate that ordering alcohol isn’t always bucketed in with the weekly grocery list.
This summer’s libations will be portable and flavorful. According to ShareThis data, the average month-over-month engagement change by percent is as follows (Engagement is measured by searches, clicks, and shares in the U.S., March-May 2021):
- +89 percent, ready-to-drink. Bottled and canned alcoholic drinks that don’t require additional ingredients including hard seltzers and prepared Go-Tails (cocktails to go)
- +61 percent, mezcal, and agave nectar flavors. Mezcal is a smoke spirit made from agave, the plant that is also responsible for tequila and produces a sweetener similar in taste to honey.
- +28 percent, mocktails, and low alcohol beverages. All the flavor of an alcoholic beverage without any or as much alcohol.
- +17 percent, premiumization. New launches are promoting exclusivity and superior quality.
- +11 percent, boxed wine. An efficient way to open a few bottles.
All this means purveyors of alcoholic beverages need to be ready, not only for the summer of 2021, but all seasons going forward, as consumers have gotten used to this service and want it to continue.