Back in March 2013, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s annual chef survey identified ‘drinkable desserts’ as an up-and-coming trend for 2013.
In April 2013, London’s Icon Balcony Bar introduced a new dessert-themed cocktail menu including offerings such as Blueberry Cheesecake, Lemon Meringue Pie and Tiramisu.
Dessert cocktails offer calorie-conscious diners the opportunity to combine both an after-dinner drink and a sugar hit into one, at an affordable cost. They also add fun and entertainment and resonate with the Twitter generation of twentysomethings who are defining food trends.
More importantly, from a foodservice operator’s point of view, they can contribute significantly to menu profitability. In addition, they allow operators develop a more ‘exclusive’ proposition that consumers are unlikely to create at home, thus driving on-trade sales through experiential marketing.
By Maureen Gahan, Ireland Market, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board
Image Shutterstock