Firm seeks to unlock ‘growth potential’ with trade education initiative
DIAGEO has launched an on-trade initiative aimed at helping licensees unlock the “growth potential” of the spirits category.
The Spirits Revolution is designed to encourage licensees and bar staff to look at how they can change their spirits serve to deliver extra sales and increase profits.
The campaign, which is said to be Diageo’s biggest on-trade category initiative to date, forms part of a £7.5 million investment in the spirits category for 2014.
An online portal featuring advice for licensees and bartenders was launched on April 25, and members of Diageo’s sales and national accounts teams will be offering support to venues directly. The launch of the campaign is being backed by print and online activity featuring ‘educational’ content, including tips on providing the perfect serve.
Diageo is also expanding its bartender training programme.
The Diageo ‘Bar Academy’ provides accredited training modules covering areas such as the perfect serve and cocktails.
The drinks firm aims to have trained over 5000 bartenders by the end of June.
Faith Holland, head of on-trade category development at Diageo, said the company’s research showed that if licensees could increase up-selling of premium spirit serves, “the category growth opportunity in one year could be a huge £660 million”.
“To maximise spirits sales, Diageo will help licensees to choose the right spirits range for their outlet, display spirits on their back-bar so they are easy to choose and use finished drinks on their blackboards and menus to drive crave appeal, all of which will inspire their customers to choose spirits,” she said. “We will also give licensees the confidence to sell by offering training on simple product knowledge and educate them on up-selling opportunities, as well as training them on the serve to ensure they deliver consistent quality, great tasting drinks, every time.”
