The Red Tiger team feel that we have played a small contribution to the recent news that Gin has overtaken Whiskey and Vodka as the UK’s preferred drink, as we have had a gin-spirational year.  Apparently Britons bought a record 47 million bottles of gin this year, up by 7 million on 2016.

The range of botanical choices have also been on the increase, with flavour such as seaweed, rhubarb and a Christmas gin with frankincense and myrrh now available.

Gin sales have doubled in value in the last six years to £1.2 billion in the 12 months to September 2017. In the 12 weeks up to September 2017, gin sales were up 27%, by volume, and 34%, by value.  It is clearly the nations favourite spirit, and this has been been fuelled by a number of things:

• The explosion in gin brands (it seems like most places now have a gin named after them – perhaps an idea for a Gin map) – according to HMRC 45 new distilleries opened in the UK in 2016, taking the total to an estimated 273, more than double 2012’s 128.
• Pubs and bars, in catering for the increasing demands of the typical gin drinker, have extended their Gordon’s, Bombay and Tanqueray selection to include other more ‘premium’ brands, which will often come at ‘premium’ prices.   This is accompanied by ‘premium’ tonics, including Fever-Tree (with its current range of 6 different flavours), Fentimans, and 1724.
• The opening of dedicated Gin bars (often know as palaces, emporiums or clubs) in all major cities and towns across the country.   This is great to see and they are often occupying off pitch sites in a variety of interesting locations.

What has this got to do with location planning, or recruitment I hear you say?  At Red Tiger Consulting we are always interested in retail and consumer trends and would like to hear your gin tales. Will gin still be the most popular drink for 2018, or what will take it’s place? We will be having a gin-tastic Christmas at Red Tiger Consulting and would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas too.