LCG_B2B_Guidebook_2025

PREMIUM SPIRITS

CRAFT BEER

Alongside maturity comes sophistication! Mature segments, such as whisky or cognac are exploring the brave new world of premiumization, while less developed categories like tequila and mezcal invest in experimentation and focus on provenance.

While conventional beer consumption is slowly declining worldwide, craft beer is shaking up this pioneer industry, by adopting future trends earlier than any other. Betting on premiumization, innovative varieties, new styles, and original flavours make the difference. The craft beer boom is pushed by an increasing demand for high-quality beverages with a sustainable footprint.​ Brands are creating an exclusive universe of customized items worshiped by beer lovers, especially the younger generations who are eager to be part of this trendy and cool subcultural movement. Craft brewers are definitely paying more attention to glassware for branding purposes!

Reinvention is key to conquer new consumers. Category lines are blurring, originating hybrid spirits, both intra-category (fusions between scotch and bourbon or tequila and mezcal) and cross-category (rum aged in bourbon casks, whisky finished in cognac barrels).

HAZY IPAs (NEIPAs) These unfiltered beers look hazily opaque and are available in an array of nuanced flavours, balancing bitterness with a soft mouthfeel to match to consumers’ desire for easy drinking, less bitter, more tropical and juicy flavoured beers.

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Consumers want to expand their world by discovering new blends, new flavours and tastes to thrill their senses. Brands are responding to consumers demands by launching innovative varieties to attract younger drinkers (millennials and Generation Z).

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SOUR & WILD BEERS Quickly becoming a favourite style amongst modern beer lovers, thanks to unique refreshing flavours and food pairing versatility. Their flavour complexity is appealing for wine and cocktail drinkers, who like the sweet acidity and tartness.

Experimental spirits will emerge, giving rise to endless possibilities for new cocktails and combinations, with intriguing ingredients and mission-driven stories behind them. The emergence of premium spirits has seen consumers spend more money on high‐end alcohol brands in the off‐trade. As a consequence, status spirits have grown more than the total spirits market and is expected to accelerate in categories such as Rum, Tequila or American Whisky. Premium-and-above spirits will grow their global volume market share over the next few years, as consumers seek quality over quantity.

DESSERT STOUTS Brewers are creating dessert stouts with lactose and ingredients like vanilla, coffee, or cinnamon. Made to be indulgent, these pastry stouts have higher ABVs. and sweet flavours are perfect.

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