Yearender 2022: Key drinking trends that dominated, and shaped how Indians drink

As Covid19 restrictions subsided and the world opened up people started making their way back to bars and restaurants Driven by aftereffects of being locked down consumers have been willing to experiment with diverse flavour profiles as well as refined cocktails while the enhanced focus on health also permeated the alcobeverage market with zero ABV alcohol by volume drinks making it to shelves across the countryAlthough no conversation around what Indians have been drinking can be complete without the mention of gin mixologists suggest another classic is on the verge on reinvention To understand the nuances behind what and how Indians drink we spoke to mixologists and industry experts who shed light on consumer behaviour and drinking patterns that have emerged in 2022 and predict whatrsquos to comeConsumers are splurging on premium liquorIt can be said that the pentup demand has fuelled consumption of premium liquor which continues to grow in India ldquoI predict that the premium liquor market will experience a strong increase in growth In 2022 we introduced 22 new brands spirits and wines with 26 labels in India Haymans Gin Ashanti Spiced Rum The Choya a Japanese fruit liqueur Tenjaku a Japanese whisky and gin and many others As per our market research consumers are now familiar with the nuances of the brands and the ingredientsrdquo says Hemang Chandat sales director of Monika AlcobevSustainability is gaining prominenceThe move towards ecofriendly measures is across industries and is starting to reflect in the alcobev industry as well While Monica Alcobev introduced Bushrums the countrys first sustainable rum in 2022 industrygiant Pernod Ricard also launched industryfirst initiative OneForOurPlanet championing the cause of sustainable packagingldquoWhile premiumization has consistently been a key trend over the past few years it will continue to do so but not in isolation Consumers are also gravitating towards ecoconscious choices and are seeking brands and products that bolster a sustainable impact on the environment and planet at large By removing monocartons across our brand portfolio and inspiring consumers to make more ecoconscious purchase decisions we hope to have nudged the industry to evaluate its impact on the environment and integrate sustainable practices into their businessesrdquo sharesKartik Mohindra chief marketing officerPernodRicardIndiaTequila on the riseAs per Chandat another brewing trend is that of sipping tequila In essence this means sipping it rather than taking a shot He shares ldquoTequila can be added to a wide range of beverages to enhance their flavour In the upcoming years the market for tequila is anticipated to expand in tandem with rising demandrdquoAccording to Latesh Kotian beverage director at Silly 2022 saw tequila finding a new reputation this year ldquoTequila went from a nightclub shot to a cocktail favourite real quick Tequila is a versatile and diverse spirit that has incredible flavours which make it the perfect base to experiment with Although there is still a lot to be discovered in the tequila cocktail segment it is surely on its way of becoming the next gin for Indian cocktail connoisseurs and consumersrdquoLow and zero ABV beverages are finding audiencesOwing to an enhanced focus on wellness nonalcoholic distilled beverages have taken off across the worldmdashand are finding audiences in India Vansh Pahuja launched Sober Indiarsquos first distilled nonalcoholic spirit brand inNovember 2021 Amidst the Indian gin revolution they started off with a classic gin which replaces a traditional spirit 11 minus the sugar calories or any hangoversldquoHaving just completed a year of Sober Irsquove observed widespread awareness amongst modern day consumers who are slowly shifting from an alcohol heavy lifestyle to a more wellness focused lifestyle making room for brands like Sober which offer zero ABV alternatives to everyday spirits With the drinking trends changing regularly consumers are becoming more aware about whatrsquos available in the market thereby creating a huge demand for brands like ours to enter and flourish We have been able to sell out each time with a new product launch Now we have three products on our portfolio Sober Gin Sober Pink Gin and Sober Rum and each one of them has been well received by the audiencerdquo shares PahujaSafe to say Soberrsquos quickly expanding portfolio is a testament to the burgeoning demand of zero ABV beverages Mohindra agrees ldquoAs one of the fastest growing alcobev markets globally India is witnessing its modern consumersrsquo growing preference to drink less but being open to experimentsrdquoldquoTo cater to the growing demand for low alcohol drinks especially for our healthconsciousconsumers we recently introduced a nonalcoholic wine lsquoJacobrsquos Creek Unvinedrsquo in two variants to further build the category There is a palpable consumer attraction across India for these categories and Tier 2 cities represent an additional robust source of growthrdquo concludes the marketing expertWine is in vogueThe appetite for wine has been increasing in India as people travel abroad and develop a taste for different wines PhotoiStockAs people travel more they acquaint themselves with a variety of international wines and are willing to experiment with their preferences according to Ketan Upadhyay level 2 wine sommelier and manager at Joshi House ldquoThe guests that travel abroad have a fair bit of knowledge about wine We have noticed that more people are getting into wine culture and want to learn more about wine Guests at the Joshi House are ready to explore more wine because Joshi House is in its way a wine boutique and serves international cuisines We do educate them about the wine as on our wine menu we have lot of grapes varieties by the glass and by the bottles If we see from the consumer point of view they are looking for particular country and grape while some are ready to explore the different grapes for example Xinonavro from Greece Barbera from Italy Touriga Franca from Portugal Gruner Veltliner from Austria Alberino from Spain Sake from Japan Many guests also love drinking Prosecco as well as Rose sparkling winerdquoImmersive experiencesldquoThe use of artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies has increased consumer interactionrdquo poses Jayesh Kathuria coowner of The Liquor Store At their Navi Mumbai space they provide digitally evoked displays for independent walkthroughs to project an AR immersive catalogue of a label to elevate shopping into an immersive interactive experience that takes the consumer through unique sampling and cuisine pairingKathuria explains ldquoWe are in an age where we have all the information at our fingertips due to enhanced connectivity through our mobile phones the AI system just takes this one step ahead to the next logical conclusion of enhancing your interactive experience by giving you the freedom of selfexploration and selfeducation of our premium liquor section There are capable employees on hand to assist the customers at all times but if one prefers to browse and explore on their own the AR system will answer all their questionsrdquoAlso Read A glimpse of Indias diverse and evolving gin culture