21st May | Laura Martin back

FROM SPRITZ WARS TO SLUSHIE SERVES: WHAT BCB LONDON TOLD US ABOUT SUMMER DRINKING TRENDS

The recent BCB London brought together the bar and beverage world for two days of spirits, sampling and some serious trendspotting. With a mix of established names and emerging producers, it was a great temperature check for where drinks culture is heading next. From gin brands fighting their way back into the conversation, to spritzes and slushies stealing attention, and agave spirits showing no sign of slowing in the UK, here are the trends that caught our eye.

IS GIN GEARING UP FOR A COMEBACK?

Gin had its moment. Actually, it had several. There was the craft gin boom, the pink gin boom, the flavoured gin boom, and then a bit of gin fatigue. But at BCB London, there were signs that the category, which has of course never totally gone away, could make yet another ‘comeback’. Smaller producers in particular seemed focused on giving gin a new reason to be talked about. Colour-changing gins, aged gins and more were all being used to bring fresh energy into a category that consumers may feel has been done to death. But one thing that’s clear is that gin’s comeback won’t be built on nostalgia. It will be built on reinvention.

IS IT TIME FOR APEROL TO STEP ASIDE?

Aperol has ‘owned’ summer for years, but if BCB London was anything to go by, it’s got some seriously hot competition. Spritzes were everywhere. Classics like Aperol and Campari were rivalled by Paloma Spritzes, Sarti Spritzes and even non-alcoholic aperitifs. What was once almost a one-brand serve feels like a format that everyone is getting in on. It makes sense. The spritz is simple, sociable, and feels both premium and accessible. It works for afternoon, early evening and low-tempo drinking. It also gives brands an easy way to tap into real consumer behaviour, while bringing something new to the glass. In short, the spritz isn’t going anywhere… but the category is becoming less of a one-horse race.

DID SOMEBODY SAY… SLUSHIE?

Spritzes are the polished summer staple, but slushies are bringing the fun factor. Right now, the two seem to be battling it out for the serve of the summer. Rum, whisky, tequila – you name it, someone had frozen it. We spotted slushies across several stands, including Coca-Cola Mix, Teeling Whiskey and Equal Parts x Brown-Forman UK, proving that the frozen favourite is moving beyond nostalgic novelty and into something with real menu potential. Could slushies rival spritzes as the summer drinking top pick? Possibly.

AGAVE’S STILL MAKING GAINS

Shotting is out, sipping is in. Recent headlines show that tequila is only continuing to gain momentum, with spicy margs, palomas and even the simple tequila & tonic helping to make it one of summer’s hottest spirits. And if tequila is proving more popular than ever, mezcal is just getting started. The next challenge will be making its discovery feel accessible rather than overly specialist. At BCB, brands were using their space to educate, build intrigue and lean into flavour, craft and provenance.

CALVADOS IS READY FOR REDISCOVERY

While agave spirits were everywhere, Calvados is just starting to regain presence. For a long time, Calvados has suffered from being seen as too traditional or niche, but that could now be a strength. As consumers look beyond the obvious and bartenders search for ingredients with depth, provenance and a point of difference, Calvados is reintroducing itself. The trick will be modernising how it is talked about and served. Less dusty digestif, more cocktail-friendly, food-pairing, provenance-rich spirit with character.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

One of the biggest things we noticed was how the brands with the budget to do so were recreating the on-trade experience on stand. Signature serves, bar-style activations, bartender-led storytelling and menu inspiration all played a role. The strongest stands helped visitors imagine not just what the product tastes like, but where it fits: on a menu, in a venue, during a specific occasion, in the hands of a specific drinker. It’s a reminder for any drinks brand – experience is a great sales tool.

THE R&T TAKE

The real takeaway for brands is that liquid alone is no longer enough. The strongest drinks companies were not just talking about taste. They were building stories around serves, occasions and experiences. They created a reason for people to care. Why now? Why this serve? Why this occasion? Why should a bartender add it to the menu, a journalist write about it, or a consumer choose it over something they already know and love? That’s where we can support. The right PR strategy can turn a product into a talking point, a serve into a summer trend and a heritage category into something that feels relevant again. It can help brands own occasions, build bartender advocacy, educate consumers without overcomplicating things, and create stories that travel beyond the trade show floor and bring a brand to life in a way people *actually* want to talk about. We know cut-through comes from connecting product, culture and occasion. Whether it’s helping a challenger take on a category leader or turning a serve into the drink of the summer, the job is the same: give people a reason to care, talk and try.

5th June | Laura Martin back

The Carby Comeback – Rice, Noodles & Pulses are hot, hot, HOT

Once cast as a boring side dish or relegated to the back of the cupboard, carbs are making a comeback – and this time, they’re the main event. According to The Grocer’s latest Focus on Rice, Noodles & Pulses, there’s a full-blown pantry revolution underway. From TikTok-fuelled noodle obsessions to the health-led innovation heating up the category, the humble carb has never been trendier. So, what’s driving the movement from carb guilt to carb couture?

Carbs Get Cult Status

Cost of living (yikes). We hate to mention it, but savvy shoppers are still making swaps to save their pennies and rice & pulses are the ultimate low-cost carb. And while price is driving decisions, it’s not the only factor in the carby comeback. Social media has had a huge part to play. “Recession meals with rice” might not be the sexiest TikTok trending tag, but Gen Z’s appetite for fast, affordable and satisfying food has given rice and noodles serious street cred. We’re not talking plain grains or supermarket spaghetti – think heat-and-eat rice in adventurous flavours, super spicy soba noodles, and Korean-style Ramen that’s taking over your For You page (don’t pretend you haven’t seen Buldak’s Carbonara Ramen at least ten times). Rice, Noodles & Pulses are having a real cultural moment – and brands that can lean into this with a smart strategy that gets them seen on social are reaping the rewards.

Spice, Heat and All Things Sweet(ish)

Global flavours are no longer niche – they’re the new norm. Remember when sweet chilli, teriyaki, satay and gochujang felt “exotic”? The flavour factor is fuelling a carb renaissance, with Brits rediscovering rice & noodles as the perfect vehicle for experimentation. Leading brands are blending international inspiration with shoppers’ demand for convenience to create bold, flavour-first innovation that’s winning shelf space and shopper loyalty. Riding that wave is Tilda, with its Ready to Heat range of 26 global fusion flavours delivering the biggest value growth in the category. Clearly, that hit of flavour escapism – without the  hefty airfaire – is proving irresistible for shoppers.

Pulse Check: Plant Power Goes Premium

If carbs are getting a glow-up, pulses are in the middle of a full-blown rebrand. Once the go-to of the vegan elite, lentils, chickpeas and beans have gone mainstream – and premium with it. Consumers are clocking the sustainability creds and protein-packed claims, and retailers and suppliers alike are responding with everything from posh jars of beans (hello, Bold Bean Co Queen Butter Beans 😍) to plant-based ‘all-in-one’ meal kits that feel more “meal prep inspo” than “midweek panic”. Case in point? Tilda’s Easy Meals range which blends pulses with rice and veg to deliver a complete, plant-based meal in just two minutes. These single-serve, protein-rich pouches tick all the boxes: quick, nourishing, full of flavour, and with clear ‘one of your five-a-day’ and ‘source of protein’ health creds on-pack.

Own Label’s Levelling Up

Retailers are upping the game with their private label lines, launching premium options that could give brands a run for their money. Whether it’s M&S’ Indian takeaway range or Aldi’s WFH-worthy noodle pots, private label is stepping up and standing out. But brands like Tilda are still setting the pace, growing at +18.1% growth versus own label’s +9.1% thanks to trusted quality, demand-driven innovation and authentic brand storytelling.

So, What’s the Opportunity?

For brands in this space, it’s about balancing convenience with credibility and creating innovation that *actually* satifies real-life shoppers’ needs. For agencies like us, it’s about helping our clients tell these stories in a way that’s culturally clued-up, insight-led and straight-up irresistible. I mean, when you’re lucky enough to work with rice’s number one, your comms have to step up to plate (pardon the pun). Because whether it’s pulses with purpose or noodles with a narrative, carbs are no longer the side dish. They’re the main character.   Laura MartinLaura is a driving force behind trade and consumer strategies for a diverse mix of UK and global food and drink brands. From crafting unforgettable media experiences to driving stories of innovation, she’s a powerhouse of creativity, strategy, and passion. Outside of work, you can find Laura working her way through the city’s coffee shops, before heading to the dance studio. And, if you’re lucky enough, you might even catch her teaching an R&T cheer class…

1st October | Laura Martin back

Honesty is the best policy

In the current climate, it’s more important than ever for brands to be transparent. Consumers are looking to brands which they know, love and, perhaps most importantly – trust, and open, honest communication is the ultimate way to deliver this.

With the emergence of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, a variety of quick-fire trends are encouraging users (including influencers and consumers alike) to be their authentic selves by exposing the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of their everyday lives – whether that’s through before and after-inspired trends, or posting bloopers. This is something which has been carried across to additional media outlets, and is undoubtedly a positive; however, with this comes a certain expectation for any brands which do choose to post content on these platforms – an expectation that brands will follow suit and will be more open than ever before.

From fashion to FMCG various brands are finding ways to make this new ‘behind-the-scenes’ exposure work for them. For example, In The Style has been working with actress, influencer and tv personality, Jacqueline Jossa, in order to showcase ‘normal bodies’. Following the launch of her swimwear range, the brand has been using Instagram to post a series of ‘edited versus unedited’ and ‘posed versus relaxed’ pictures to highlight the way in which factors such as positioning, lighting and airbrushing can drastically alter the appearance of peoples’ bodies. By doing so, alongside the slogan ‘every body is a beach body’, In The Style has successfully positioned itself as a highly attainable, relatable fashion brand which consumers can trust. But it’s not only the fashion world which is exposing itself; restaurants such as Chipotle have also begun revealing long-held secrets- including coveted, fan-favourite recipes, as well as hacks whereby shoppers can claim free food from the popular restaurant chain.

It’s vital that brands find ways to stay visible and relevant without coming off as opportunistic – and we’re helping our clients do exactly that. Instead of hopping on the back of just any trend, we’re working with our clients to create tailored content which we can be assured will resonate with their audiences. For example, we’ve recently worked with our client, Pukka, to distribute a poll across social media – asking our audience to vote for their preferred flavour of vegan pie, with the top two flavours being carefully made and baked by Pukka. By collaborating in this way, we drove significant engagement via social media, helping the brand to produce a new product which they can be confident will prove popular.

Across the board, we’re continually working to help our clients navigate this new open and honest comms landscape, ensuring that all communication is relevant, authentic and brand-appropriate. Watch this space!