My stance is really simple; rather than compete with the big alcohol brands, the non-alc category would do well to let the established alcohol trademarks make their 0.0% versions, allowing new brands to focus on pioneering different non-alcoholic liquids. If you are a new brand doing non-alcoholic gin or non-alcoholic rum, be warned. I do not see a purposeful role for new brands mimicking what…

The last time I wrote for Drinks International the world was grinding to a halt. It was 2020. Bars and restaurants were attempting to navigate the new Covid-19 landscape, and nobody had a clue what was going to happen. Throughout the various lockdowns and reopenings, we’ve seen a lot of shifting perspectives – from the way venues operate to the working conditions that members of…

While I don’t want to be the constant bearer of bad news, I have another issue facing the hospitality sector which needs addressing. The cost of living crisis across Europe is the latest in a series of tough challenges facing our industry.  As a whole, we’re still recovering from Covid-19 and there’s definitely a feeling of concern from bar owners, particularly around heating…

It’s taken a couple of weeks to let the dust settle and reflect on what was a very successful Tales of the Cocktail in August. In lots of ways it felt like good ol’ Tales. We were soaked by the torrential rain, drank Sazeracs with old friends and got our mitts on po’boy sandwiches, yet it felt extra special because it was the first time since…

Pre-Covid I would receive 80+ applications for any job I posted on social media, but now the tables have turned and it’s the applicants who can be picky about where they work, not the venues. In the Netherlands bartending isn’t considered a traditional career option and due to the constant restrictions introduced by our government, the industry was made to look fragile. This…

Before the pandemic I think most of the world’s cocktail weeks were more industry focused, but now I’ve noticed brands shift- ing their budgets to the off-trade, making consumers the primary focus. This makes sense to me because a cocktail week is there to bring exposure to a bar scene and introduce a new audience of consumers to the area’s best venues, rather…

It’s a subjective area as to how much you should tip in different situations and different countries around the world, and everyone has a different view.  Personally I always tip because I work in hospitality and I know that most people are on a basic salary. In the Netherlands we don’t have much of a tipping culture compared to the…