5 ways to make the most of Christmas drinks sales

As the season of merriment approaches, now’s the time to add a little sparkle to your drinks offering. From quenching your customers’ thirst for seasonal novelty and providing warming comfort, to helping their celebrations go with a bang, there are plenty of ways to make your drinks section the talk of the town this Christmas.

Making a connection with wine

“In the festive season people seek comfort, connection and celebration,” begins Peter Allen, founder of Wine That’s Fruit. “What better way than to enjoy a well-chosen wine? Wine compliments the traditional food choices and has been part of cherished rituals over the ages, and supports celebration, connection and joy!”
As well as being a must-have at the dinner table, wine is a popular choice for gifting – especially around the festive period. “We love to gift, and wine makes an excellent choice of gifting for neighbours, friends or family,” continues Peter. Remember to create an experience beyond the transaction to suit the occasion. “The festive season sparks curiosity and a wish to explore new drinks and flavours. Wine warms not only the body but also the spirit! You are not just selling a drink; you’re offering joy, memories, and a hint of festive magic.”

Set yourself apart

With retailers across the board vying for shoppers’ attention in the run-up to Christmas, it pays to take efforts to stand out from the crowd by offering something new that will delight your customers. “People want to explore new experiences, new flavours, seek out hidden gems and indulge in discoveries,” says Peter. “One option is to explore beyond grapes to a wonderful world of flavours of all the other fruits out there. Don’t risk a gift that is not special or something new. Some brands, such as Wine That’s Fruit, offer more exceptional qualities too, such as removing all the nasties from the production process - like preservatives and use of animal products - to provide a locally produced natural wine, free from added sulphites, vegan friendly and naturally gluten-free.”

Don’t let the novelty of a new product put time-poor customers off a purchase – with time and resources at a premium for you and your staff, too, smart displays can reap rewards. “When offering something new it’s important to help educate your customers. You can share tasting notes, food pairings and quirky facts about each wine. Also, recipes for enhancing the wines into spritzers or cocktails that would make the special occasion go with a bang. If in-store wine tastings are feasible, they will help customers engage with a new product and to assess whether this is right for their occasion or for the gift recipient.”

Wines are not made equally, and in the current climate it’s important to tick the boxes that conscientious shoppers are demanding more from fine food and drink and the retailers who stock it. “Shoppers today are also more discerning about the wine’s credentials,” says Peter. “Has the product been made and packaged in an environmentally conscious way that supports protection of the environment? Has it been produced locally supporting local communities? Is it made of natural ingredients, avoiding the use of traditional additives (such as sulphites) or has it been cleared using animal products? Has the product been packaged to encourage responsible drinking? If all these elements can be combined, then the offer will meet many of the desires of today’s customer to be doing the right thing.”

A thirst for gin

A mainstay of any drinks cabinet, gin comes into its own during the festive season, and with a few seasonal nudges from retailers shoppers are sure to add it to their gift list and party menus. “Providing ideas for lovely Christmas cocktails certainly works for us,” begins Natalie Hall, director at York Drinks. “We add gin to grenadine and lime juice in a Nick & Nora glass with a sugared rim. The deep red and sparkly white never fail to make guests to our tastings feel Christmassy. We call it the Fairytale of Old York.” When it comes to promotion around cocktails and pairings, the only limit is your imagination. “Making gin the go-to party spirit is never too tricky as it’s such a versatile drink!” says Natalie. “And with lots of eating around this time of year, the G&T is the pre-prandial par excellence.”

This versatility, and the huge variety of gins on the market offering a kaleidoscope of flavours, makes gin a worthwhile addition to your gifting display. “Gift sets of miniature gins make lovely presents, providing people the chance to taste several gins during the cold dark new year,” says Natalie. “This plays on the variety of gins available today.” To quench this thirst, York Drinks sells triple packs of its classic gins (London, Old Tom and Navy) and its more inventive range (Chocolate & Orange, Roman Fruit and Rhubarb). “Last year, we sold lots of sets of gin and marmalade and jam - to make ‘Easy Martinis’.”

Innovation is the name of the game in the gin world, and consumers are happy to experiment with the latest launches, says Natalie, particularly at Christmas. “We see a spike in interest and sales when we launch a new flavour. And there is a seasonal aspect to the different flavours of gin. Our Chocolate & Orange gin inspired by the Terry’s Chocolate Orange, invented in York and made in the city for decades is always popular during the festive season.”

Go low/no

While Christmas may traditionally be the time of much merriment (read: an additional hangover or two), the move towards abstinence is just as present during the festive season as at other times of year. “With one in three consumers now alcohol-free [Lumina Intelligence], it’s important now more than ever to be offering customers high-quality soft drinks which are a complex alternative to alcohol,” begins Rhian Morris, marketing manager at Luscombe.

Thankfully, the low/no sector has plenty to offer these shoppers as 2024 draws to a close – including an exciting new launch from Luscombe itself. “As the festive season approaches, customers will be looking for something a little different and to elevate their usual choices, this is where soft drinks with a seasonal twist can really do well,” says Rhian. “Interesting flavours which give a nod to the festive season will be extremely popular, and we’ve seen this previously with our Sicilian Citrus Crush, Passion Fruit Ginger Beer and past release, Cranberry Crush. We are extremely excited to launch a new Mulled Winter Warmer from Luscombe this year, our first seasonal winter specific product launch. Available from October, it’s a delicious non-alcoholic alternative to traditional mulled wine and is perfect for cosy winter evenings and festive celebrations. A harmonious blend of organic fruit and traditional mulling spices it can be enjoyed warm or cold and will be available in both 27cl and 74cl bottles.”

Classic flavours with a twist promise strong sales too. “Our multi-award-winning organic ginger beers are also very popular at Christmas and include our Hot, Cool and Passion Fruit Ginger Beer,” says Rhian. “With warmth and spice, they are just perfect for Christmas and are best served over ice with a slice or a curl of lemon or lime to complement the warmth of the ginger but also make superb additions to cocktails made at home such as Moscow Mule and Dark and Stormy.”

Selling Christmas cocktails

Ollie Lloyd, advisor, investor and presenter of The FoodTalk Show shares ideas to get your spirits sales flying

Over the last 20 years, foodies have thrown themselves into creating any number of chef-inspired creations. However, this creativity doesn’t translate into cocktail-making. To inspire customers to create cocktails this season, you must encourage them to experiment without overwhelming them.
One of the easiest ways of doing this is to offer simple serving suggestions so that with the help of one or two items, foodies can craft cocktails that get talked about. This could be a bottle of rum, which, when combined with lime, ginger beer, and bitters, will create a mean dark and stormy. Or it could be triple sec which, when combined with vodka, cranberry juice, and lime, can make a delicious Cosmo.

If you want to get foodies really engaged, you can always encourage them to infuse an old bottle of gin or vodka that has been languishing in the back of the drinks cupboard with some of your fresh produce. A few recipe cards and some Kilner jars could get your customers to create any number of unique spirits that could even be presents for friends.

There are also lots of clever cheats that can make a simple drink that little bit special. You can mix a teaspoon of marmalade into a G&T, or throw in a fun garnish from rosemary to thyme. Or offer up a range of seasonings or bitters that make drinks people are already used to a bit more interesting and festive.
That said, one of the great food and drink success stories of the last few years has been the emergence of micro breweries and distilleries. Make sure you are selling a unique range of local drinks where you can, and get the makers to suggest their favourite festive serving method. Telling local people’s stories always engages foodies and, to date, it has been done more in the world of food than in drink.

Retailer insight

Laura Roberts, owner of Laura’s Larder reveals her tips and must-stocks for the drinks cabinet this Christmas

We’re proud to stock high-quality wines, sparkling wines, and Champagnes, and during this period, people really step up their game, opting for more premium bottles. We try to sell a lot of English wines, especially local ones, as people like the idea of impressing friends and family with wine that’s not made too far from the Christmas table. Gin also makes for a great gift, and we’ve seen a strong demand for low and no-alcohol options. In that area, we sell a lot of Highball premixed cocktails and Mother Root. The new marmalade-flavoured Mother Root is fantastic, and the ginger switchel is a year-round favourite.

We focus on the classic wines and spirits, while also ensuring we have a good selection of low/no alcohol options and fancy soft drinks to cater to everyone. We also like to offer a few Christmas wine trios, which include a fizz, a white, and a red - usually a bestseller package and a more upmarket option, with a small discount on the trio, which seems to work very well. We also host a Christmas-themed wine tasting, pairing the wines with Christmas snacks and canapés made with items from the shop, which boosts sales across the board.

A festive drink should evoke warmth and celebration, whether it’s a rich, full-bodied wine, a crisp, refreshing gin, or a beautifully balanced non-alcoholic option. It’s all about quality and that special something that makes it feel indulgent and celebratory.