Mixer packs offer speedy cocktail serves

According to consumer research from CGA, one in five on-trade outlets are now serving cocktails. This is up by 16% over the previous year and this upward trend is likely to continue in 2013. There is also evidence that cocktails help bring in more customers and drive up spirits sales whether in cocktails, straight serves or spirits and mixers. Despite economic uncertainty and more frugal daily spending customers are adopting a ‘treat mentality’ for their big nights out and cocktails fit the bill.

Global premium cocktail mix supplier Finest Call sells its range, which includes the most popular cocktails such as Bloody Mary, Pina Colada, Mojito, Cosmopolitan and Margarita, to pubs, clubs and restaurants. With an unrefrigerated shelf life of 30 days once opened, bar managers can be in the cocktail arena with offerings that have both bar staff enthusiasm and customer price appeal (prices start around £4 per litre pack for the on-trade). There is no need for costly fresh ingredients or the waste that goes with them, time consuming staff training or the minutes taken to mix cocktails to order. Bar staff can simply add the selected cocktail mix to the base spirit, stir and serve in less than 20 seconds.

Finest Call developed its pour and store package in 1995, working with bartenders to provide the ideal package for storage, handling convenience, shelf life and product identity. The design has won many packaging awards has 3 US patents and 1 international patent.

The plastic pack is of 1 litre size with an exclusive cap with an air vent alongside the main pour spout for free, uninterrupted product flow. The cap comes in three sizes as appropriate for the nature of the product within. A thick, viscous, fruit-intensive puree requires a different flow pattern from a liquid. The caps come in 12 distinct colours so the products are easy to differentiate behind a busy bar.

Finest Call cocktail mixes are distributed by Cellar Trends.

5 February 2013 - Felicity Murray