Most retailers have cracked the basics of cocktail culture. Premium spirits have broadened nicely, RTDs have exploded and the average shopper now knows their Margarita from their Manhattan. But there's still one part of the home bar that deserves more shelf space and more thought: cocktail bitters.
Home cocktail culture is no longer a lockdown hangover; it is a genuine habit. Consumers are more confident mixing drinks, and they increasingly want the results to feel considered and bar-quality.
That doesn't always mean buying another bottle of spirits. Often it means adding one small product that elevates what they already have – which is where bitters come in.
Joe Fee, one of the great characters of this industry, used to say that bitters are the mixologist's spice rack. I love that. His own brand, Fee Brothers, has become the quiet workhorse that bartenders reach for every single day and that loyalty doesn't stop at the bar door. A chef wouldn't dream of sending out a dish without seasoning, so why are we still expecting home drinkers to build a proper Old Fashioned or Manhattan without the finishing touch that gives it structure and depth?
Bitters are a tiny but crucial ingredient – the salt and pepper of the cocktail world. A few drops can turn something competent into something genuinely special and from a retail perspective, that's a useful story, they’re a smart add-on and feel premium and purposeful. If someone's buying bourbon, dark rum or vermouth, the cross-sell opportunity is right there. Done well, bitters can turn a single-bottle shop into a full-occasion purchase. But don’t just take my word for it. The Whisky Exchange has watched cocktail bitters grow at an impressive 25 per cent a year since 2020, which tells you everything you need to know about where home‑mixing culture is heading.
The key? Making them accessible. Bitters isn’t a category that sells itself through mystery – if the shopper doesn't know what they're for they’ll pass them by. But clear serve suggestions, recognisable cocktail names on the shelf and smart placement near whisky and mixers will do far more than any fancy POS. Bitters also work brilliantly in gifting: obvious moments when a beautifully packaged bottle alongside a spirit makes the whole purchase feel more considered.
Bitters aren't going to become a mass-volume category overnight; they don't need to – but as more shoppers look to recreate bar-quality drinks at home, they absolutely deserve to be part of the conversation. For retailers, that makes them a small-format opportunity well worth taking seriously.
Nick Gillett Photo: Handout