By Alba Torres, member of the Baud team.
When we talk about wine, beer and spirits, we are talking about a key sector in the Spanish market, which represents leisure, enjoyment, celebrations and social relations.
It's Saturday night. You meet your friends for dinner while you drink a few beers (or wines). Dinner is over and you go to a bar for a drink, often without knowing where the night will take you. Or at least that's how it was until a few years ago.
The moment of consumption of alcoholic beverages in the new generations is changing. Daytime consumption is growing as opposed to nighttime consumption, and we are seeing consumers moving less and less between establishments, but extending their drinking experience in the establishment they are in, seeking the most complete experiences possible.
But beyond the moment of consumption, what is this new consumer like and what is he or she looking for in an alcoholic beverage?
To answer this question we can talk about three main trends that are marking the changes taking place in this sector.
1. The constant search for integral wellbeing.
Health and the pursuit of physical and mental well-being are currently at the center of consumers' concerns and are increasingly positioned as one of the main decision factors in the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
In this context, we can see how there is an increasing demand for natural, healthy and feel-good products, which has led companies to increase the offer of gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, low-calorie alcoholic beverages, or even drinks that incorporate natural ingredients that improve our mood.
On the other hand, the rise of low-alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages is also increasing. While we are used to seeing "non-alcoholic" beverages in categories such as beer, new alternatives are appearing all the time, as recently done by Tanqueray with the 0.0 % version of its gin.
2. An experience premium and personalized.
This growing concern for health is leading consumers to drink less and less, but to seek higher quality products, as well as experiences that surprise them. We can see trends such as food and wine pairing, cocktails and bartenders The company is consolidating in our country, making the moment of consumption a unique and personal experience for each customer, in which the person can explore his or her tastes and enjoy increasingly exotic and novel flavors, thus enriching the moment of consumption.
3. The value of craftsmanship.
The search for naturalness in products has led to a boom in artisanal products, which is already permeating the alcoholic beverage sector in Spain.
Consumers are looking for sincerity in the brands they consume, and brands have found in craftsmanship a way to connect with consumers, allowing them to know firsthand the reality of the products they buy: the return to the origins, the demonstration of the authenticity of the brand, generating pride in the local product and own production, telling the origin and the story behind each product...
In the same way, having artisanal products allows us to generate a closer brand experience, inviting consumers to get to know the facilities and production processes, and taking advantage of the visits to consume the beverage in a privileged environment.
We find ourselves in a sector that is blurring and redrawing itself, in which companies have a double challenge ahead of them. On the one hand, they must be able to understand current leisure and the new relationship of consumers with this type of beverage. On the other hand, they must know how to find their niche in a changing environment, without losing their identity and conveying their uniqueness through their own discourse and a global brand experience.
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