Capitalising on food-led visits to Cork’s on-premise can help suppliers and operators ignite post-Covid sales, according to new research from CGA by NielsenIQ.
Details
CGA’s on-premise measurement data indicates that drinks sales in Cork in the quarter to July were only 80% of their 2019 value. The city – Ireland’s second largest, with a 10% share of the country’s on-premise drinks sales – has been slower than many other areas to recover since Covid restrictions were eased. Cork has lost 1.1 percentage points of its sales share since 2019, thanks, in part, to a shortage of tourists and fewer visits from residents of its surrounding towns and villages.
While pubs account for the highest proportion of Cork’s licensed premises, restaurants have a greater share of sites there than elsewhere, which means that it is crucial for drinks suppliers to capitalise on food-led visits. Soft drinks represent a particularly good opportunity, as they over-index for share of sales by 2.7 percentage points, compared to Ireland as a whole. Within this category, flavoured carbonated drinks are the most important segment, over-indexing by 4.6 percentage points.
CGA’s research also provides a wealth of insights into trends in alcoholic drink categories in Cork, including the facts that:
- lager is the city’s most important long alcoholic drink (LAD) category, over-indexing by 4.6 percentage points;
- cider also has a greater share of drinks sales in Cork than elsewhere in Ireland, gaining more traction over the summer; and
- spirits over-index for share of on-premise drinks sales, with vodka and whiskey the most popular categories, but liqueurs and specialities are gaining ground.
Statement By Senior Client Manager For Ireland At CGA By NielsenIQ
Darren Bradley, senior client manager for Ireland at CGA by Nielsen IQ, said, “Consumers’ habits vary significantly from place to place in Ireland’s on-premise, and it’s crucial to understand the unique demands of the Cork market.
“With restaurants such an important part of the mix, brands need to find the best ways to align with food-led occasions, especially in the soft-drinks category. Pressure on consumers’ spending is mounting, but suppliers and operators that find the right balance of quality and value have plenty of headroom for growth in Cork, and elsewhere in the republic.”
© 2022 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
