Mead may enter the mainstream once again, appealing to those wishing to indulge in sweeter, less alcoholic beverages.

Mead, otherwise known as honey wine, is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages known to man and proved popular among historical communities such as the Vikings and Ancient Greeks. It is now set to make a comeback, becoming a drink of the future, not the past.

As consumers have turned to more complex artisan attributes, including heritage, there has been a clear sustained interest in craft brewing and distilleries, leading to a rise in more meaderies popping up around the world. Drinkers have become more experimental – wanting products that reflect their niche and unique desires.

According to GlobalData’s Q4 2017 global survey, consumers around the world are considerably receptive to premium alcoholic beverages. In fact, 8% of global consumers state they ‘always’ purchase premium alcoholic beverages, whilst nearly half (47%) consume them ‘occasionally’.

This is underpinned by the steep rise in the number of producers; according to the American Mead Makers Association, mead is one of the fastest growing alcoholic categories in the US. In 2003, the US only had 30 producers, now there are over 300.

The next craft obsession?

Looking ahead, we can expect more high-end bars to adopt ‘forgotten’ drinks such as mead. It may enter the mainstream once again, appealing to those wishing to indulge in sweeter, less alcoholic beverages.

Giving traditional drinks the modern twist is a natural next step for ‘craft’ drinks producers. With obscure product names and ancient flair, mead is expected to make a comeback – revealing an unfamiliar, yet tremendous opportunity for both small and big brewers.

As consumers search for an unusual product, mead has plenty to offer, especially if brewers were able to take advantage of other trends in the drinks space such as technology. Wouldn’t it be amazing for producers to provide a QR code, highlighting how technology is being used to map bee locations? And provide the drinkers with in insight into meads 9,000 years of history? If this were possible it would certainly lead to an impressive drinking experience.

 

For more insight and data, visit the GlobalData Report Store – Verdict Drinks is part of GlobalData Plc.