Consumers who typically order the Ready To Drink (RTD) category do so most often when visiting Experiential Bars (24%) and Airport Bars (22%), making these venues a crucial focus for brands and suppliers looking to capitalize on the category.
To make progress in the RTD space, it’s pivotal to understand how notable proportions of visitors to both venue types can be influenced in relation to their drink choices before their visits and once they’re in venues.
Most consumers in the US are likely to know what they’re going to drink before they get there. This is especially true in drink-led or activity-based venues, seen in activities like grabbing an RTD from an airport kiosk when preparing to travel.
A proportion of RTD drinkers (57%) already know what they plan to order at the bar when visiting experiential bars and 62% in airport bars. This underlines the importance of building loyalty with consumers outside of On Premise channels and further demonstrates how habitual behaviors underpin why people likely know what they’ll order before a visit.
Almost half of consumers in experiential bars and airport bars stick with category and brand when they are happy with their drinks choice. With this in mind, the potential size of the RTD prize is revealed for these channels where the category is already popular.
For brands and suppliers looking to optimize RTD sales and build brand equity, providing a wide offering with options that enable trading up could be key to engaging consumers willing to experiment in-venue.
Matthew Crompton, Regional Director – Americas said: “With RTDs now taking up space in the On Premise, there’s a compelling opportunity for suppliers to understand where to position brands in order to win. As the RTD category is predominantly consumed in drink-led channels where people are moving, the data provides clear signposts for engaging with target consumers both before and during their visits, to address the factors that drive drinks choices on a pre-meditated basis, or on the spot.”
CGA by NIQ’s Channel Strategy report 2023 offers a comprehensive overview of On Premise channels. It uncovers profiles of interest, information around consumer visitation, and their consumption behaviors within the channel – key to informing successful On Premise strategies.
Download more information here and contact Matthew Crompton for more information at Matthew.Crompton@nielseniq.com
