Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Trending tipples in 2025 – here’s what to expect

Nick Gillett, co-founder and managing director of successful spirits distributor Mangrove Global, looks ahead to what might prove to be a very volatile – but for spirits a very interesting – year

​Mezcal drink
Photo: iStock

The time has come, once again, for me to weigh in on what we’re expecting from booze, here in Britain, in 2025. And there’s a lot to pack in! So, let’s get started …

Top of the pack for this year, is likely to be similar to 2024 – Tequila and Rum will dominate. When it comes to Tequila, we’re expecting more growth and a bit of diversification – flavoured varieties and maybe people delving further into the agave category with Mezcal. Rum will remain popular as ever with a continued leaning towards brands that show provenance of production – so get a few Caribbean varieties on your shelf. Whisky is seeing more and more drinkers look to different world varieties while vodka is as popular as ever (although I find there’s not too much to get excited about there).


nick gilletNick Gillett

Another success story from this year was low- and no-alcohol spirits. I think the success will continue but we’re going to see a ratification of the category as the lower-quality liquids drop out of the market, and Ready to Drink (RTD) products continue to be popular in the right setting, with the right customer.

Aside from the categories themselves, look out for brands who boast sustainable credentials and a social conscience – we know consumers care more and more about this, and they’re getting more experimental too, so don’t be afraid to jazz up your range.

Finally, this year will be tricky for some producers as duty rates are set to go up again in April, so support the creative, independent producers who care about the quality of their liquids. Your customers might just notice the difference!

More for you

Closed WHSmith store on UK high street amid 2025 crisis
Photo: iStock

The high street crisis: How many more warnings does government need?

The start of 2025 has delivered a devastating series of blows to Britain's high streets, with WHSmith considering the sale of all 500 UK stores, Lloyds Banking Group announcing 136 branch closures, Sainsbury's cutting 3,000 jobs, Morrisons reducing its workforce by 200, and Tesco eliminating 400 positions. This isn't just another cycle of retail change – it's a fundamental collapse of high street infrastructure.

The sheer scale of these closures should sound alarm bells in Westminster. We're witnessing the systematic dismantling of services that have supported local communities for generations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Glendalough and Nordes gin bottles with tonic on UK shelf 2025
Photo: iStock

Trends in gin – how to build your range

The British love affair with gin is well-known, but after a decade-long "gin boom", the last few years have seen a substantial slowing of sales as hundreds of smaller brands shut up shop and drinkers experimented with different categories. Even the bigger brands were affected – with the UK’s favourite, Gordon’s, reporting a £72.8m loss in April 2023. Nevertheless, gin is still a staple for your shelf: you just need to be smart with your choices.

British history is punctuated with gin booms, and in the consequent lulls between it still remains a top pick for millions of adoring UK customers. The last boom of the 2010s saw thousands of sweet, synthetic flavoured varieties flood the market. Unless you have compelling sales data to suggest otherwise – ditch those and instead try more sophisticated flavours such as Glendalough, or Nordes Gin with its refreshingly sweet flavour that comes purely from the botanicals. If ready to drink options sell well, East London Liquor Company have some great cans, like Grapefruit Gin and Tonic which are as well branded as they are delicious.

Keep ReadingShow less
beer chiller in store

Britain's enduring love affair with beer, lager, and cider is set to flourish once again

Navigating the changing landscape of beer, lager, and cider

As winter's grip finally loosens and the UK eagerly anticipates the arrival of spring, the nation's enduring love affair with beer, lager, and cider is set to flourish once again. Despite economic pressures and rising costs, these traditional favourites remain firmly entrenched as Britain's alcoholic beverages of choice, accounting for an impressive 65 per cent of total alcohol consumed nationwide.

The UK alcoholic beer market is projected to generate £8.8 billion in off-trade revenue in 2025, with steady growth anticipated at 0.62 per cent annually through 2029, according to Statista figures. With the average Briton expected to consume nearly 32 litres of beer at home this year, the opportunity for convenience retailers remains substantial – particularly as consumers continue their migration from on-trade to off-trade purchasing in search of better value.

Keep ReadingShow less
The rise and rise of Swiss Army knife c-store

The rise and rise of Swiss Army knife c-store

Last year we were writing about the “Swiss Army knife c-store", a shop that could hold its own against the mults and discounters because it stood at the centre of its community. It would dispense not just groceries but many of the services that encourage people to visit, the everyday things they rely on – from post-office counters and banking to picking up parcels and even dry-cleaning – that could save them a trip into town and encourage them also to purchase some extra items while they were in-store.

The development has been ongoing for some time, and the digital revolution meant continually upgraded and affordable ePOS systems and digital stock-taking enterprises, until electronic shelf-edge labels, self-re-stocking systems and other space-age miracles started to come within reach of even the smallest retailer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rapid delivery growing uk convenience stores

Rapid delivery

iStock image

Exclusive: Rapid delivery is sure-shot way forward

Quick delivery is no longer a luxury or a gimmick, it’s the clear roadmap to profitability and a guaranteed route to expansion for convenience stores aiming to increase turnover, finds Asian Trader.

For decades, convenience stores have thrived on their ability to provide instant access to essentials. Propelled by Covid lockdown and changes in habits, the consumers’ definition of convenience now also includes within-minutes delivery at home.

Keep ReadingShow less