While the world was falling apart around us in 2020 people put their lives on pause. Still, consumers of all types continued to make their liquor purchases. Whether it was through curbside pickup or liquor-to-go through restaurant orders. As everyone hunkered down to do their part they made adjustments to their lifestyles that they thought would be temporary. While many of the changes made were thought to only last until the end of the pandemic. However, many changes will actually have long term effects on consumer’s drinking habits. 

Ready To-Go Drinks

In over 30 states, liquor to-go cocktail kits have been a huge savior to struggling bars. Customers were picking up drinks for a picnic outside or a dinner at home. What ever the occasion, the impact made a huge difference to businesses of all sizes. The system allowed owners to rehire some of their staff to manage the bar and trudge through the remainder of the pandemic. Liquor to-go has been so successful many states. As a result some are passing bills all over the country to extend the liquor to-go policy. Some are even considering making the change permanent. 

Canned Cocktails

While hard seltzers were at the top of the industry for some time they have begun to flatline this year. Taking its place quickly are canned cocktails. The clever on-the-go creation boomed this past year. Not only because it paired well with the ready-to-go drink trend, but because their alcohol levels are incredibly comparable competitors. The industry has produced many trailblazers, like Cutwater and Fishers Island Lemonade. With the beverage category already grown 43% in 2020, the dominance over the industry shows signs of holding strong for some time. 

 
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Many Americans took comfort in their favorite liquor beverages to get them through their time at home. However, many took the time at home as an opportunity to better themselves and their health. As a result, many members of the public began thirsting for alcohol-free beverages. In 2020, 65% of US consumers actually planned to drink more no or low alcohol options to better their health while they are stuck sitting at home. The liquor industry heard their customer’s needs and now whiskey substitutes and 0% ABV craft beer can be found on the shelves of most liquor stores. 

Keeping up with changing liquor trends can be overwhelming. While you can not expect the unexpected when it comes to major events you can at least manage your own customer trends on a regular basis. CobaltConnect’s inventory management system allows liquor store owners to identify buying trends that are occurring with their customers. This can help merchants stay on top of what their customers are interested in and when. It is time to be ahead of your competitors when it comes to your customer buying trends. Reach out to the CobaltConnect Team and start growing your business.