January can be a bit of a struggle for many businesses, especially pubs, restaurants and social clubs. After the buzz and decadence of December, there seems to be less money, energy and incentive to leave the house. But we are here to help and give you the best January sales ever!
The biggest challenge – Dry January
Dry January was officially launched by the charity Alcohol Change UK ten years ago. Alcohol Change UK is not an anti-alcohol charity but one that wants to support people drinking as a conscious choice. They ask people to register for Dry January and complete 31 days without alcohol. They started with 4,000 registering in 2013, and have a target of achieving over 200,000 in 2024. But that is just a small part of the picture. Since introducing the concept it is believed that over 9 million people took part in some form of dry January in 2023, with numbers expected to be greater in 2024.
That’s a big chunk of your regulars who want a break from their normal tipple. Instead of fighting it, why not support them and help them with their challenge by providing alternatives?
The UK has one of the largest non-alcoholic drinks markets in the world and is growing each year. The benefit of that stat is that many of your customers will already be aware of the alternatives and may just need a bit of encouragement to try them. 85% of pubs offer at least one low or no-alcohol beer but to meet the challenge of Dry January head-on, and maximise your sales in January you need to go further.
Another challenge – too much turkey
Let’s face it, who doesn’t overdo it over Christmas? And it seems that Christmas starts as soon as firework night is over with the weeks leading up to 25 December being filled with social events.
If you work in the industry, it’s great – large parties are in, tables are packed and every day is (organised) chaos. Your customers are enjoying rich food, meals out, late-night snacks, bacon rolls the morning after the night before and picking at the office tin of chocolates every time they walk past. The result is that we all feel a little sluggish in January, trying to convince ourselves that clothes have shrunk in the wash and our breathlessness when walking up the stairs is the start of a cold.
Gyms cash in with promotions of reduced membership, diet clubs advertise hard and most have at least one New Year’s Resolution related to weight loss, physical health and fitness.
And to top it off, mental health deteriorates
January blues can hit us all. We have had enough of the long, dark days, and the weather can be hard. It is easy to stay in and cut ourselves off from our friends and social groups, and we end up in a cycle of low energy, poor mental health and feeling low.
The answer to maximise pub sales? Work with Humber Doucy ⭐
Expand your no-alcohol offer – we produce two great products onsite at our Suffolk brewery which you can add to your beer order.
Herbarium gives a great alternative to those who enjoy a spirit. At 0% alcohol offering Herbarium will attract those on Dry January, giving them a great alternative to their usual drink. Herbarium Distillation 29 (named after 28 discarded attempts to find the perfect mix!) is a bold, unique alternative to gin. No added flavourings, or sweeteners and alcohol-free ticks all the boxes for those on a January health kick and avoiding traditional booze.
Scobys Kombucha Tea is a slightly fizzy, fermented drink made from sweetened tea. Whilst its popularity in the UK is growing, it’s been enjoyed for thousands of years and is known for health benefits from probiotics and antioxidants. Scoby is a special culture that is used to create a unique taste when distilled with tea. Considered the next market to boom, its health benefits and unique taste are appealing to many looking for an alternative in the pub.
Offer social incentives to leave the sofa – we all need a bit of encouragement to get off the sofa in January so think about how you can overcome the challenges of January and get people in.
We can come and do tasting sessions, focusing on Herbarium and Scobys, or alongside our standard brews to appeal to everyone. Just drop us a line if you would like to book an evening tasting session with us at your pub.
By providing healthy alternatives, and a place to get the pub experience without the alcohol you can support your customers and overcome the three challenges of January to maximise your sales – and maybe even find new regulars for the rest of the year.
Why not drop us a line or give us a call to see how we can work together to give you a great January and start to 2024?