Here comes summer: opportunity for pubs

The mercury's rising, the days are getting longer, people are happier… and it all adds up to a big opportunity for licensees to cash in on the feel-good factor by offering a range of drinks and food to suit the great outdoors. Sonya Hook reports.

Mixing it​

Long mixed drinks and cocktails are a big opportunity for licensees during the warmer weather because they can offer high margins.

"In the summer months there is a natural shift to long, refreshing drinks, ideal for drinking outside with friends," says Global Brands' marketing director, Simon Green.

The company has recently introduced its Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon as a long drink served in branded jam jars. Its key serve mixes the spirit with ginger beer & fresh limes.

"Simple, yet eye-catching serves are always big winners with licensees and consumers," he says.

Long drinks are also the focus for Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), via its link up with Diageo GB. The two have invested further in their spirit-and-mixer joint initiative, first launched last year, which aims to help the on-trade create perfectly served, long mixed-spirit drinks all year round.

A £2.5m investment from this month (April) will help the campaign run across the summer as part of its Together for a Better Summer campaign.

Meanwhile, Maxxium UK launched a campaign for its Harveys sherry brand earlier this year. "Through our Harveys Half Hour campaign, we are promoting a refreshing summer serve — Harveys Bristol Cream over ice with a slice of orange," says marketing director Peter Sandstrom.

Pitching it right​

Serving punches and pitcher drinks is a good way to serve mixed drinks to a group of people quickly, so it's perfect for those sunny Saturdays when everyone flocks to the pub and it can bring in good profits.

Maxxium UK is investing £15m in Courvoisier this year, part of which will involve encouraging people to upgrade their drinking experience with Courvoisier punch, building on last year's activity.

"Punch is a very sociable drink, which lends itself perfectly to small groups on a variety of occasions," says marketing manager Janice McIntosh. "It is a great summertime drink and is perfect for outdoor events."

And Global Brands suggests serving its Teichenne Schnapps in a Strawberry Woo Woo Pitcher format, blending the spirit with vodka, strawberry purée & cranberry juice.

Classic pitcher brand Pimm's meanwhile, will feature in a new marketing push by brand owner Diageo this summer. The £4.6m campaign, which runs like a political campaign, aims to bring people together to make the British summer the best it can be.

If you want to add a twist to the classic Pimm's serve then Global Brands is suggesting you serve King's & Pimm's pitchers — a blend of its King's Ginger Liqueur, Pimm's,

ginger ale and lemonade.

"Ginger is certainly flavour of the moment and the King's Ginger Liqueur has been around since 1903 when it was formulated for King Edward VII by Berry Bros," says Global Brands' Green.

Nuts about ginger​

Halewood International can also offer licensees some help to tap into the craze for ginger refreshments this summer. The company launched Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer in 2009 and it has since launched a range of non-alcoholic ginger products, including John Crabbie's Ginger Beer, and a Crabbie's Ginger Nut range. Brand manager Al Cross says: "The drinks are the perfect accompaniments for licensees to serve alongside food during the summer season, offering light and refreshing drinks to be served over ice."

Also to suit summer drinks, the company has launched a range of mixers in 200ml bottles, including Fiery Ginger Beer and Clear Dry Ginger Ale.

And the ginger boom hasn't gone unnoticed by others either. Constellation Europe launched Ginger Joe last month and is promising plenty of summer fun to raise awareness of the brand, and COS Brands (formally Cider of Sweden) is also continuing to push its Frank's Ginger Beer brand through the hotter months (assuming we get them)!

Let there be lighter​

Already this year we have seen some lighter wine launches hitting the market, indicating that this summer consumers may seek out refreshing, but lower alcohol options.

Constellation Wines recently launched a lighter drinking range for its Banrock Station brand, comprising a Moscato and a Pink Moscato. The wines are both 5.5% ABV with less than one unit of alcohol per 125ml serving.

"We believe that Moscato's sweet taste and light body will appeal to both regular wine drinkers and new-to-wine consumers, who are looking for a lighter and sweeter-styled wine, without having to compromise on taste," says vice-president of European marketing Clare Griffiths.

Continental Wine & Food (CWF) also has a range of wines that are lower in alcohol. The company's Silver Bay Point range is available in three 750ml variants — red, white and rosé, at just 8% ABV per bottle.

"The demand for low-alcohol drinks during summer can be especially high, particularly when there are a number of all-day events planned and consumers want to keep

a watchful eye on their alcohol consumption," says marketing manager Vicky Lee.

Meanwhile, Blossom Hill has a new Taste the Sunshine campaign, which it says is its biggest promotional campaign to date. The £1.2m campaign includes outdoor and national press advertising.

Give your outdoor dining a boost​

Of course, drinking alfresco naturally leads onto dining alfresco and a love of all things barbecued presents a great opportunity for licensees.

To ensure your pub really stands out from the crowd Heinz suggests licensees get more creative with their menus by creating a signature burger sauce using Heinz Tomato Ketchup as a base, or adding a splash of Lea & Perrins.

"Holding special barbecue events is a great way for pubs to differentiate themselves from high-street restaurant chains where this is not possible," notes Heinz Foodservice brand manager Olivier Kutz. "A barbecue and summer dining offering gives licensees an opportunity to add interest and seasonality to their existing menus."

The latest offering from the producer is HP Texan Style BBQ Sauce, which is new for this spring and summer season.

Another summer food suggestion for licensees comes from Lyons Seafoods. The company recommends adding some prawn recipes to pub menus with ideas ranging from homemade fishcakes to salads and open sandwiches.

"Prawns made up 32% of the 445 million fish servings eaten out of home in the UK in 2010, so they are clearly a popular choice with consumers," says foodservice director Paul Murray. "They are also naturally low in cholesterol and contain fewer calories than minced beef. Use this to your advantage by clearly stating the health benefits of prawns on your menu."

Meanwhile a range of support packages are now available to help licensees in Brains' leased and tenanted pub division maximise the summer opportunities. For barbecues, the company recommends that licensees think about introducing new meats, but without neglecting the classics. "Sausages and burgers remain firm favourites and can return a healthy margin," says a spokesman.

"But for a point of difference try to source local products and new flavours."

Top tips for a sizzling summer drinks offer​

• Simon Green, marketing director at Global Brands: "Serve your long drinks in unusually shaped glasses or eye-catching vessels — such as hollowed out pineapples or coconuts for more exotic serves, and add colourful decorations, swizzle sticks, flowers and coloured straws. Give glasses a frosted edge by dipping the rim into lemon juice and then sugar."

• Mark Riley, commercial operations sales director at Maxxium UK: "Through our mixxit Print on Demand service we can help licensees promote their drinks offer and boost sales by up to 17% by creating custom-designed drinks menus for key selling occasions."

A spokesman for Brains' leased and tenanted division: "A beer and sausage festival is always popula