Great brand strategies don’t start in boardrooms. They start at the bar.

As part of our latest research phase, we’ve been mapping the on-the-ground shifts shaping spirits culture—from the floor of high-end cocktail bars to wellness-focused house parties. This round of insight—built from bartender-led focus groups, cross-referenced with leading market data—shows what’s truly moving the needle in drink trends, format innovation, and consumption rituals.

The findings? Clear, but not always comfortable: the market’s evolving faster than most brand strategies.

1. Simplicity, Transparency, and Story Over Spectacle

There’s a quiet revolution happening in bar culture. The age of over-engineered drinks and theatrical gimmicks is giving way to a new era of clean presentation, authentic stories, and fewer—but better—ingredients.

📌 Consumers want less performance, more purpose.
They’re asking where it comes from, what it’s made of, and why it matters. Brands that lead with craft, heritage, and honesty are gaining ground—especially in the high-volume cocktail space.

2. Low-ABV, No-ABV, and the Rise of Wellness-Driven Socialising

Mindful drinking isn’t a trend—it’s a new occasion in itself.
From post-workout highballs to zero-proof happy hours, bartenders are building entire menus around lower intensity and greater intention.

📈 Non-alc cocktails are now core—not fringe.
And brands without a functional, flavourful, and premium-feeling option risk being filtered out of the next generation’s default order.

3. Tequila, Mezcal, and the Shift from Familiar to Curious

The dominance of agave-based spirits continues to expand, with consumers favouring versatile spirits that feel craft-driven but accessible.
Mezcal and tequila are shaping menus from Asia to North America, not just for Margaritas—but for smoky, flavour-forward serves that deliver something memorable.

This speaks to a broader truth: the most in-demand cocktails aren’t always the easiest—they’re the most interesting.

4. A New Visual Language: From Loud to Luxurious Minimalism

Cocktails now have to perform on two stages: the palate and the phone screen.

Younger consumers want drinks that photograph beautifully—but not just for colour and garnish. There’s a growing aesthetic leaning toward clean, minimal, premium-leaning design.
Elegant glassware. Sparse garnishes. White space. Quiet luxury is taking over the backbar.

And that same visual logic now applies to POSM, gift packs, and bar tools.

5. Home Is the New Bar—and the New Battleground

DIY mixology is now a legitimate category, not a quarantine-era phase.
From premium kits to branded tutorials, bartenders and creators are leading a wave of at-home cocktail discovery—and brands are being invited into people’s kitchens, not just their weekends.

Successful brands are fuelling this movement with:

• Well-designed cocktail kits

• Glassware and tools that feel professional

• Educational content that’s actually useful

6. Sustainability: From Claims to Commitment

Sustainability is now assumed. And for bartenders, it’s showing up not just in packaging—but in ordering habits, brand choices, and event participation.

From zero-waste events to eco-conscious tools, brands that integrate sustainability into their trade strategy aren’t just liked—they’re listed.

M&E Perspective: The Pulse Is Moving—and It’s Time to Catch Up

Bartenders are always a step ahead. They feel shifts in flavour, occasion, and energy before the data catches up—and what they’re seeing right now is a category evolving from showy to sharp, from maximalist to intentional.

Our role is to build the tools, storytelling, and physical presence that aligns with this shift—and to stop thinking of POSM and kits as accessories. They’re expressions of brand philosophy.

The next phase of spirits growth won’t come from the loudest voice on the shelf.
It will come from the smartest presence behind the bar—and the most intentional footprint in the home.