The creative cocktail trend: what is it?

Mixology is an activity that consists researching, developing and elaborating cocktails (alcoholic or not). Historically, mixology would have been born across the Atlantic, in the mid-2000s, in the bars of trendy New York. Today, this practice is the subject of a popular craze. The cocktail is delicious, it is original and it is aesthetic, which makes it a subject of choice for social networks… cocktails are going viral!

In France, and in the capital in particular, several pioneer catering establishments have fully integrated the “bar - mixology” concept into their establishment. This offers their customers a cocktail service in addition to their original culinary offer, with always the possibility to combine these two experiences. The food / cocktail pairing is emerging.

The making of creative cocktails requires certain knowledge and specific know-how on the part of the  mixologist  : knowledge of ingredients, flavors and combinations, mastery of the working techniques of components, etc... which brings him closer to high culinary mastery only the bartender.

More than a trend, the creation of cocktails is becoming a new playground for catering professionals. The cocktail becomes an integral part of the culinary experience for customers in search of novelty and professionals can count on this service to differentiate themselves from the competition or improve their economic results.

Why is it interesting to be interested in mixology as a restaurateur?

Mixology, a tool of differentiation

Restaurateurs and restaurant managers have every interest in offering a cocktail sales service to differentiate themselves from the competition. Customers who walk through the door of an establishment to enjoy an original cocktail would probably not have been systematically seduced by the restaurant's culinary offer. The exercise, for the manager, then consists in creating  cross-selling  between his two service offers (that the customers who came just for a drink, finally stay to eat at the restaurant and vice versa). Through a  mixology service , these professionals are able to offer an original experience to their existing customers and also give themselves the opportunity to attract new customers.

Mixology to increase your potential

The ability of an establishment to attract a young audience promotes the sustainability of its activity. A 2018 study showed that 25-35 year olds do not spend as much money on alcohol consumption as 45-55 year olds. The study explains that the younger the subjects, the less their wine consumption. These younger generations, on the other hand, are more in search of flavors and new experiences in alcohol tasting.

Creative cocktails are part of the response that restaurant managers can offer to customers looking for something new. The cocktail can be consumed as an aperitif but also during the meal when it has been thought out intelligently and that it complements the culinary offer. By offering an original product that is more in line with consumer expectations, catering establishments are, in fact, putting all the chances on their side to increase their average potential.

The cocktail - a product with a high margin

Drinking can be very lucrative when it is accompanied by good management. In the case of mixology, the margins can even fly when establishments manage to offer cocktails that are both original and popular.

As an example, we have reproduced below the recipe for the original cocktail “  Lemon Lime On! ".

Here are:

• details of quantities and  material costs *
• the  total cost of  a glass
• the steps useful for making the drink
• and the detail of  the selling price and margin rate

* Here the costs indicated are the average market costs

We can see when a cocktail that integrates quality and sophisticated elements, the margin achieved is significant: 75% while there is little handling.

In addition to the economic benefits, cocktails can prove to be a real communication weapon for establishments. On social media, cocktails are colorful, stylized, conceptual… they go viral! The people exposed to these images are all potential new customers!

Why is it important to manage your cocktail recipes well?

Control your beverage costs

The mixologist, like the chef in the kitchen, will carefully manage their recipe database to know their precise costs and margins.

Several tools are available to create recipe databases. Melba is an application dedicated to gastronomy professionals in the broad sense and which also allows mixologists to centralize and manage drink recipes.

It is possible to create ingredient sheets presenting packaging information and supply costs, and to find details of the cost price of each ingredient and the margins on the selling price.

Manage your drink stocks

Managing the bar's recipe database also allows efficient stock management and thus better management of cash! Indeed, stocks are dormant assets for the establishment and the more its stocks are in rotation, the more it indicates that the activity is healthy. It is therefore important to be able to identify, record and manage your stocks all the time. Using specialized tools can help to have better visibility on the value of stocks on a daily basis.

Melba allows you to record products in stock and automatically value your dormant assets.

Provide the same service to all customers

The centralization of the bar's recipe database is also the guarantee of providing the same service with the same quality of service to all its customers. This consistency is a real guarantee of excellence for catering establishments. Thus, by providing information on your recipe database on the manufacturing processes of your cocktails and the presentation instructions, your staff will have all the keys in hand to make the cocktail in the proportions and have the expected results!

Good communication around the bar's recipe database will allow staff to have a better knowledge of the products that they can sell more easily to customers.

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for health. To consume with moderation