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Bacardi: top five cocktail trends in 2022

Family-owned Bacardi has listed these five cocktail trends as the key consumer behaviours set to shape 2022.

Bacardi-Cocktail-Trends-2022
The Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report outlines consumer behaviours that could shape the next 12 months

Bacardi created the Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report in partnership with The Future Laboratory, using Bacardi-led and external research to outline the cocktail trends that could shape the coming year.

The research covered everything from desired drinks, flavour expectations and drinking occasions to ethical actions and how to make cocktails.

Tony Latham, executive vice-president and chief financial officer at Bacardi, said: “As 2022 brings new perspective, people are coming together with a strong desire to ‘make moments matter’.

“At Bacardi, we are driven by this purpose – with a family of premium spirits brands that are uniquely positioned to evoke emotions, catalyse experiences and play an integral role in fostering connections, encouraging celebration and enabling exploration.

“What the world needs today is not a return to a ‘new normal’, and we will play our part instead in creating the new extraordinary.”

The top trend from Bacardi is ‘luxury libations’, as consumers seek high-quality drinking experiences. This looks set to drive another wave of premiumisation across spirits categories, including canned and pre-mixed offerings. The report said 50% of bartenders worldwide reported their customers are drinking more premium beverages.

‘Digital drinking’ is also set to be a trend in 2022, as consumers embrace technology to create cocktails at home. This will be driven further by the continuation of e-commerce growth, particularly in the US where more than 65% of consumers are using online services to buy alcohol.

‘Sustainability’ will also be at the forefront of drinking habits next year, Bacardi believes, with more initiatives shaped by a focus on how spirits are made. Ethically sourced materials and businesses that support local communities will become increasingly important.

Consumers are also becoming more flexible in their approach to sobriety, and 2022 looks set to see an increase in ‘sober-curious’ consumers who switch between sober nights and drinking occasions. Bacardi said 58% of consumers globally were drinking more non-alcoholic and low-ABV cocktails compared with a year ago.

The fifth trend is ‘transformative times’ – consumers seeking cocktail experiences that deliver transformation, celebrate social connections, offer new experiences and offer some sort of learning and personal growth.

Last week, SB explored the spirits-focused side of the report and found Tequila was the top-trending spirit for 62% of bartenders around the world.

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