Featured Post – Zeo soft drinks
Seems like this time of year everyone is detoxing so in the spirit, ahem, of January, I’m posting an alternative for all of you doing the detox this month, courtesy of Zeo. I’ll see you detoxers in February!
Is the current trend for soft drinks here to stay?
Alcoholic beverages are a key component of modern life. Whether you’re raising a glass to friends, celebrating good news or simply looking for a way to quickly unwind after work, for many people it’s difficult to imagine having fun without it. But with many choosing to become teetotal for medical, religious, financial and ethical reasons, alcohol is no longer the revenue generator it once was. In its place, premium soft drinks are securing a tighter hold in the hospitality industry, feeding in to the desire for creative culinary experiences as well as tipping their hat to the concerns of the health conscious.
Swapping spirits for soft drinks
With marketing execs involved in an ongoing battle to find the smoothies, soft drinks and freshly squeezed juices that will tick consumer boxes, many restaurants and businesses are turning to premium soft alternatives like Zeo drinks to capture the imagination of their clientele. Although the notion of creative pairing is still relatively uncommon, non-alcoholic beverages are growing more widely available by the year and soft drinks are beginning to become more widely accepted as the hospitality industry finally catches up to the demands of the consumer.
Changing culinary trends
As consumers abandon traditional fizzy drinks in favour of ‘fresh’ carbonated beverages offering the illusion of health, up-market restaurants are now turning their hand to making their own in house premium soft drinks using fresh and local ingredients. Big brands are changing their approach in order to learn about the science of flavour combinations, embracing healthy flavours (think herbs and spices, honey and new-generation ‘superfruits’) and in so doing, are simultaneously changing the landscape of our dining terrain forever.
A new kind of dining experience
Besides the obvious health benefits of swapping alcohol for soft drinks, the rise in the popularity of dining out and gastro-culture has led to a big opportunity for brands and diners alike to broaden their horizons. Intensely flavoured premium drinks are fantastic combined with spicy curries, grilled fish and apple crumbles and as a result, demand is growing for bold flavours, natural tastes and organic ingredients. Check out the Zeo blog for top tips on staying healthy in 2014 including winter warming recipes.
Here to stay?
With the hospitality customer base increasingly being classified as ‘teetotal’ it seems that the shape of the hospitality industry really has changed completely. Alcohol no longer dominates the market and with health concerns looming larger and larger in the public eye, it seems that soft drinks are becoming more credible.