The outdoor summer soiree is bigger than ever, according to Bacardi which surveyed Americans to see how Covid-19 has changed their cocktail-drinking habits. Ninety percent say after restrictions imposed by the pandemic, they have changed how and what they drink.
Some 43% of Americans say they plan to spend more time socializing and sipping drinks outside this summer compared to last year. And, despite trends showing that Americans were traveling internationally more than ever before prior to lockdown, 40% will now be staying within their home state, with only 5% saying that they’ll go abroad once permitted. As online shopping continues to grow, 35% of Americans say they look forward to purchasing ingredients and creating cocktails for their own outdoor drinking experiences with friends and family.
The Margarita will not be relinquishing its crown anytime soon as the country’s favorite cocktail with 36% of respondents planning to indulge in one this summer. Rum cocktails like the Piña Colada (27.5%) and the Mojito (23%) come in second and third place.
Nearly 30% say they plan to purchase ready-to-drink cocktails or canned spirit and mixers for their socially-distanced summer get-togethers, with their portability, ease to keep cold, and their convenience cited as key reasons for stocking up on a pre-made cocktail.
“Cocktails in a can have been a hot trend this past year and the current lockdown appears to have increased their popularity as a safe and portable drink option. In addition, cocktails-to-go have really taken off with bars and consumers embracing the trend at a much faster rate as a viable choice for summer social occasions,” says Brenda Fiala, Global VP Strategy Insights and Analytics. “With people enjoying cocktails in RTD formats to making cocktails from scratch and adding in customized creative twists, it’s interesting to see how cocktails have evolved to continue to play a role as people look for opportunities to celebrate moments that matter throughout the summer.”