Fifty-one per cent (51%) of Irish people claim that they will enjoy turkey and ham up to three times before Christmas Day, with 16% saying that it would be on more than three occasions.
This is according to a recent survey by Musgrave MarketPlace, part of the wider Musgrave Group and the only 100% Irish-owned national foodservice, retail and SME wholesaler, servicing over 45,000 customers across cafes, pubs and clubs, as well as five-star hotels and every Michelin-starred restaurant on the island of Ireland.
“It is no doubt the busiest time of the year for the hospitality and foodservice industry, and our teams across Musgrave MarketPlace are working closely with our customers as Christmas season firmly kicks off this weekend,” said Desi Derby, director of marketing at Musgrave MarketPlace, earlier this month.
“Last year, we sold over 150,000 individual portions of turkey and ham, approximately 750,000 potatoes, and over 100,000 sprouts, ensuring those celebrating the festive season enjoyed typical Christmas fayre!”
Almost half of respondents said that they were more than happy to see decorations up in restaurants and bars as early as possible. However, sentiment changed when asked about putting up their own Christmas decorations at home, with 75% of people believing that they should wait until at least 1 December.
For those who enjoy a Christmas cocktail, the top choice was a Pornstar Martini, followed by a mojito.
“When it came to a Christmas tipple, our most popular alcohol lines were dominated by beers, with Heineken, Coors Light and Guinness all in the top performers, while non-alcohol sales are up 14% on last year,” said Derby.
Just over half of those surveyed at the beginning of November had started their Christmas shopping, while 54% had already planned their Christmas nights out.
