Even during the toughest of economic times, sales of beverages and spirits show no sign of slowing down. A major factor in this is how each year brings new trends that continually re-energize the market and instill demand.
Dry January is not only a month-long challenge for some people, as the boost in the non-alcoholic beverage industry proves. The U.S. non-alcoholic beverage industry is valued at $225 billion, with non-alcoholic drink revenue up to more than $425 million in 2022. Yet even with all this optimism, the drinks industry has its challenges.
A recent shift in the beverage market is the growth of non-alcoholic drinks, including adaptogens. From August 2021 to August 2022, total year-over-year dollar sales of non-alcoholic drinks in the U.S. rose +20.6%. For companies focusing solely on alcoholic beverages, the change in consumer tastes can take its toll on revenues. Adaptogen beverages consist of all-natural botanical ingredients containing healing properties typically made from plant products and fruit juices. A diversified beverage portfolio can help mitigate the risk by appealing to broader consumer audiences, preferences, and occasions. By hosting company meetings & events, your organization can help expedite large-scale transformation within your organization and help proactively identify trends to plan for what’s ahead.
Another factor impacting beverage consumption is consumer cravings for brands that focus on products that are better for both people and the planet. Surveys show consumers are willing to spend more on sustainable beer, wine, and liquor. In fact, more than 80% of consumers are now looking for sustainability when choosing food and beverages at grocery stores or restaurants.4 Whether you’re looking to incorporate sustainable ingredients, reduce waste, leverage recyclable packaging, cut production emissions, or lower energy consumption, we can help you put together a channel loyalty program to motivate vendors and partners to support your sustainability efforts.
Higher expectations are moving companies to take a second look at their company’s customer service model. With customers wanting fast deliveries, on-demand updates, prompt issue resolution, and timely responses to queries, every experience is now more important than ever. As proof, 96% of customers say they would stop working with a business that delivers a bad customer experience. Our employee engagement programs can reward your customer service teams for positive interactions, thus improving employee motivation and morale along with customer retention. After all, when employees are happy, it shows in the care they provide your loyal customers.