Trends and topics shaking things up at this year’s Bar Convent Berlin

November 5, 2024

Ferovinum’s Director of Spirits, Gregor Mathieson reports back on the trends and topics shaking things up at this year’s leading international trade fair for bars and beverages.

It’s known as ‘bartender’s Christmas’. And it’s true that this year’s Bar Convent was a neatly wrapped pile of good things for the movers and shakers of the vibrant, global bar scene, with master classes, product launches and skills development all on offer.

For us, Bar Convent is a brilliant weather vane for our industry: a great place to take the temperature of the on-trade and tap into the trends and innovations that will drive consumer behaviour in the years ahead.

This year, my biggest takeaway was the sheer level of category disruption bursting out of every corner of the show. This wasn’t just tinkering with flavours and serves. It felt more like a revolution, a ripping up of the drinks industry rulebook. And it was exhilarating to see.

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There were the ‘Young Guns’ brands offering something completely new...

A superb tasting bottle of premium rosé Champagne that turned out to be a ‘zero’ pink sparkling tea and kombucha from Switzerland.

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Tequila’s wild little cousin ‘Sotol’ gaining traction and agave now growing in the Amazon, Australia and India challenging the maturing mezcal and tequila category with an entirely new terroir and taste.

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Incredible tasting boutique rums from the Seychelles and other appealingly exotic places that are far from rum’s traditional Caribbean homeland.

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It was also clear that more mature categories and the heritage brands that drive them did not want to miss the party....
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We saw esteemed wine and brandy house Familia Torres promoting a brandy for their significant Mexican market that had been conceived in liquid and packaging to resemble cristalino tequila - as a transitional consumer bridge into their range.

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There was a fourth-generation Cognac producer growing barley and producing its first French single malt. Irish Whiskey giant Jamieson's celebrating a new orange flavoured expression; even sector stalwart Vermouth seemed to be finally breaking free of its past to forge a confident new category in its own right.

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So what’s going on behind this buzz and the blurring of category lines?

As always, it comes down to consumers. Alcohol consumption is no longer a given amongst younger generations. Volumes are down and value is flat, partly due to economic drivers, but also changing tastes. Overall, today’s consumers drink less. They have no-alcohol options in their repertoire. They’re less loyal and more likely to jump between categories. And they care a lot less about prestige.When they do drink alcohol, they want authentic products and experiences that resonate with their own values and needs….and look good on social media!

No wonder heritage brands are reinventing parts of their portfolio with bright, bold new looks and essential 'instagrammable' qualities, designed to catch the eye and create a consumer moment. It’s also why we’re seeing more transitional products:drinks that help to bridge the gap between categories, with the power to woo a vodka drinker into the tequila world and vice versa, achieved through softening of flavour profiles and category codes.

None of this innovation looks like a short term trend. This is a long term evolution that some might argue is overdue in a sector that has relied for decades on respect for tradition, revered master makers and category rules.

I’m sure that for every brand at the show, whether they’re starting out, scaling up or have decades of successful trading behind them, they left Berlin with a sense of urgency. That the days of ‘make it and they will come’ are well and truly over. That the half-life of brands is speeding up, and agility and adaptability are the new pillars of drinks industry success, allowing brands to move fast and stay relevant. But with the right ambition, strategy and tools in place, this is a story of positivity, dynamism and a sector opening up to change and exciting new possibilities.

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