September is upon us. With it comes sweater weather, pumpkin spice lattes, and hearty crock pot meals. Consumers are looking for warm comfort food and substantial drinks, and we are talking the top trends for fall 2018.
PACKAGING
Consumers are turning away from the traditional bottle packaging for wine. Fall brings football season and tailgating, and smart wine brands realize consumers want alternative options to the traditional beer. According to a recent report by Nielsen, millennials are more influenced (68%) by great package design than their older counterparts (54%). This difference is even more pronounced when it comes to alcohol purchases, for 74% of millennials compared to 57% of older consumers. When asked why they had recently switched brands, 22% of millennials reported favoring the new brand’s packaging, compared to one-third of older consumers. We can expect more wines in kegs, boxes and cans rather than the traditional bottles. Wine in more casual packaging fits in with marketing wine as an everyday drink, rather than a stuffy drink meant for a dinner party.
WHISKEY
Whiskey isn’t just your father’s drink anymore. According to the Distilled Spirits Council, sales of American whiskey grew 8% ($252 million to $3.4 billion in 2017). Consumers are putting away rosé for the fall and incorporating whiskey into their cocktails. Millennials, in particular, have shown more interest in whiskey this year, with 6% of millennial women and 18% of men favoring it. Beyond the cocktail, whiskey and bourbon popularity are growing for chefs as well, who are incorporating these into glazes and sauces.
PLANT-BASED
While chili has long been a staple for fall menus, vegan diets are gaining in popularity. This fall, consumers are looking to swap out meat for plant-based stews and soups. People over the age of 40 have increased their vegetable intake by 52%, and about 31% of people practice meat-free days, according to a report by The NPD Group.
QuestionPro Audience provides our clients with access to more than 5 million active consumer respondents, who are pre-screened and qualified candidates for high-quality data collection. Our Consumer Panel is carefully recruited to target all type of users, but also taking into consideration certain key industry trends, such as online store preference, physical store preference, actual systems, reasons to purchase, etc. With industry knowledge, innovative tools, and purchasing power, QuestionPro Audience always meets the rigorous demands of our clients. By implementing various recruitment methodologies, we make sure to provide the right kinds of respondents for your research. Contact us for your next research project: [email protected].
