As winter fades, diners’ preferences shift from warm, comforting food and drinks to lighter seasonal fare. Fresh produce pops up on menus and hot coffee, tea and hot cocoa are joined by spritzes, ’ades, flavored iced teas and juices. For operators who want to keep up with the trends, springtime offers the perfect opportunity. From low- and no-alcohol beverages to sparkling drinks to signature cocktails and mocktails for special occasions like Mother’s Day and graduation, the changing of the seasons is a great time to revamp the drink menu. In order to be successful with this menu update, it’s helpful to know what diners are looking for.
Better-for-you drinks
According to Technomic’s Menu Monitor, drinks that contain healthful ingredients such as kombucha or turmeric are on the rise—the former has grown 43% year-over-year, while the latter is up 24%. Additionally, one in five consumers say they would be interested in ordering coconut water or a beverage with acai berry in it.
Consumers are also looking for drinks that are lower in alcohol or have no alcohol. For instance, sessionable drinks – beers brewed with a low ABV – as well as sparkling no-alcohol mocktails are in high demand. To appeal to diners who want to enjoy a celebratory drink without the alcohol, drinks like Welch’s Sparkling Cocktails (available in White Grape, Red Grape and newest Rose Grape) are perfect options.
Springtime flavor trends
Technomic’s 2018 Beverage report finds that 32% of consumers say that their beverage preferences tend to change depending on the season or time of year. In springtime, that means swapping heavy, warm drinks for bright, fresh juices. Offer diners new flavors of juice as well as unexpected formats – for instance, Sparkling Mocktails by Welch’s available in Pina Colada, Sangria and Strawberry Daquiri offer the refreshing flavors that diners love. Serve these drinks straight from the bottle, or mix them with other trending flavors and a garnish to create signature mocktails.
A cause for celebration
From Mother’s Day to graduation, springtime gives diners plenty to celebrate, and operators should be ready to meet that demand. Sparkling wines like champagne are a longtime favorite, but sparkling non-alcohol options allow all party participants to enjoy – plus, there are more alcohol-free options to choose from than ever. Whether diners want Sparkling Juice or Sparkling Mocktails, they can easily find their favorite flavors without the alcohol from Welch’s.
Springtime drink trends include exciting fruit flavors, better-for-you options and non-alcoholic mocktails and celebration drinks. Don’t miss out—check out all Welch’s has to offer for the spring beverage program and beyond.
For more information, reach out to Welch’s at welchsfoodservice@welchs.com.
This post is sponsored by Welch Foods, Inc.