Experiential bars and eatertainment venues offers a range of category mix opportunities for brands to capitalise on, according to CGA by NIQ.
Their research notes that 23% of consumers typically visit experiential bars (+3pp vs last year) and four in five of them visit at least monthly and 87% plan to return in the next 12 months, signaling both strong consumer loyalty and channel stability.
“Socialising and celebrating are key aspects of visitation, usually with some sort of competitive activity such as bowling, arcade games, and mini-golf thrown in for good measure,” says CGA by NIQ.
“Eatertainment’s appeal is undeniable, particularly among younger consumers who are visiting these venues more frequently and spending significantly more on food and beverages than the average on-premise guest.”
Key opportunities for beverage brands across the experiential bar and eatertainment channel:
Diverse drinks opportunities – Soft drinks and beer dominate consumption, with soft drink sales bolstered by the fact that visitors are more likely to have children and subsequently be driving. Yet categories like cocktails, spirits, hard seltzers, and RTDs also perform well due to their versatility and ease of portability for social and activity-focused settings.
Tapping into food-drink synergy – Consumers visit across a variety of dayparts, predominantly from midday until late evening. Correspondingly, it’s important for drinks brands and suppliers to understand the nature of a variety of ‘trip missions’ in order to secure day-to-night engagement. A pressing need for alignment with food food-led occasions is reflected in the top factors influencing consumer drinks choices in Eatertainment venues – a varying daypart and ‘goes with food.’ It’s further amplified given that 4 in 5 will have food on at least some visits. Aligning with popular cuisine types and designing combo deals will enrich buy-in during food-led visits.
Impact of offers and discounts – Promotions like happy hour and group discounts significantly influence drink choice, providing a strategic opportunity for drinks brands to boost engagement and sales.
“The Eatertainment channel offers a prime opportunity for brands to engage younger, higher-spending consumers in a venue type designed for social connection and fun,” says Matt Crompton, VP Americas – On-Premise.
“There are many factors influencing drinks choice in these types of venues, with the category mix providing ample opportunity for brands to leverage and capture preferred choice, in addition to providing a clear pathway for encouraging consumers to trade up.”
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