Top spirit brands including Malibu, Courvoisier and Tia Maria are moving out of the bar and into the kitchen in a new initiative targeting the pub food market.
Spirits giant Allied Domecq has held a series of briefings for major pub operators including Sprit and Whitbread, aiming to repeat the success with branded food lines the company has had in the retail trade.
Thomas Lowndes, of Allied's specialist culinary alcohol division, has developed a range of ideas from meat sauces using Courvoisier, Sauza tequila, and Malibu to real rum and raisin ice cream using Lamb's Navy Rum. The company believes branded dishes on the menu offer an increased profit opportunity, with pubs able to charge a premium for high quality products as well as cross-selling opportunities.
Already on the market are a range of liqueur ice creams from Langage Farm and individual frozen desserts from Indulgence Patisserie, including Malibu cheesecake and Tia Maria tiramasu.
John Meyer, general manager of Thomas Lowndes, said: "There is a huge opportunity for pubs to leverage the significant profit potential afforded by the use of branded alcohol on the menu and in food dishes. Consumers expect, and are prepared, to pay a premium for food containing a known alcohol brand."
And just in case anyone's worried about the drink driving implications, don't panic. Extensive research in the Thomas Lowndes development kitchen has proven conclusively that you'd be very sick a long time before you'd eaten enough liqueur-laced ice cream or chesecake to put you over the limit.