A growing consumer appetite for savoury cocktails is driving strong sales growth for seasonings, sauces and citrus ingredients, presenting an opportunity for convenience retailers to tap into the trend.
New figures from Waitrose, released this week, show shoppers are increasingly recreating spicy, Mexican-inspired cocktails at home, boosting demand for products traditionally found in the cooking aisle as well as drinks fixtures.
Among the strongest performers, sales of Cooks' Ingredients Mexican Style Seasoning are up 40 per cent year on year, while Maldon Chilli Sea Salt has risen 19 per cent compared with the previous week. Sales of fresh basil have also increased 13 per cent year on year as consumers experiment with flavoured cocktail rims and garnishes.
The trend extends beyond seasonings. Compared with last year, Waitrose reported a 33 per cent increase in sales of lemon juice, while lime juice is up 28 per cent. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco Pepper Sauce have both recorded 25 per cent year-on-year sales growth.
The retailer said shoppers are increasingly adding ingredients such as chilli salt, Mexican seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and pickle juice to cocktails, inspired by drinks including spicy margaritas, palomas and Micheladas.
Lizzie Haywood, trend innovation manager at Waitrose, said the classic salt rim had evolved beyond margaritas as consumers sought to enhance cocktails with spicy and savoury flavours.
“We are seeing an influx of people getting creative with salt rims, looking to enhance their savoury cocktails, whether that be with the addition of Mexican seasoning for spice, citrus zest, or even herbs such as basil or rosemary,” she said.
Jourdan Gabbini, beer, cider and spirits buyer at Waitrose, said Mexican-inspired cocktails were proving particularly popular this summer because of their bold salty and spicy flavour profiles.
“So many are led by those bold, salty and spicy flavours that our customers are loving at the moment,” he noted.
“The spicy margarita is a classic example, using lime juice for an acidic freshness, and Mexican seasoning and salt on the rim for that signature kick. These flavours can easily be added to other cocktails for a savoury twist - for example a spicy paloma has become increasingly popular, because the salt and tajin cuts perfectly through that tart grapefruit.
“Alternatively, the malty, beer-based Michelada is a really unique savoury cocktail that lends itself really well to the other savoury flavours, which include tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.”
For independent retailers, the trend presents an opportunity to drive linked purchases by merchandising cocktail ingredients alongside beers, tequilas and ready-to-drink cocktails, particularly during the summer months.
Cross-promotions featuring lime and lemon juice, chilli salt, hot sauces and Mexican seasoning could also help increase basket spend as shoppers look to recreate bar-style drinks at home.