Craft, artisan, and locally produced beverages are set to lead the beverage trends in 2019
Washington, DC (Restaurant News Release) Beverages are going to make a splash in 2019 according to early results from the National Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot survey. Craft, artisan, and locally produced beverages, such as wines and spirits, are on tap as the industry’s number one alcoholic beverage trend next year, the Association’s survey found. Craft coffee and house-made soda trended highly in the non-alcoholic category.
The What’s Hot survey is a barometer of food and beverage trends at restaurants around the country. The results forecast the food, beverage, and culinary concept trends for the year ahead. The annual survey looked at the responses of approximately 650 professional chefs – all members of the American Culinary Federation.
“At restaurants and other foodservice operations today, beverages, including wines, spirits, beers, and nonalcoholic drinks are big traffic drivers,” said Hudson Riehle, the Association’s senior vice president of research. “Offering craft liquors, wines, and other beverages, allows restaurants to distinguish their drink programs from their competitors. At the same time, putting a more local, sustainable spin on beverages is particularly appealing to millennials, who, in general, are more apt to support smaller, different, more socially responsible businesses and products.”
Here is what chefs said about some of the beverage trends for 2019:
- Nearly 65 percent of respondents indicate that craft, artisan, and locally produced spirits is the number one alcoholic beverage trend on the What’s Hot in 2019 Culinary Forecast.
- Almost 60 percent of respondents said locally produced spirits, wine, and beer would be among the hottest beverage choices in 2019.
- More than 50 percent identified house-brewed beer as a hot trend.
- On the non-alcoholic side, 51 percent said craft/house-roasted coffee would simmer over in 2019.
The National Restaurant Association and its ServSafe Alcohol team advocate responsible alcohol service and consumption every day, especially around the holidays.
The complete 2019 What’s Hot survey results will be available in early January.
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About the National Restaurant Association
Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises more than one million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.1 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and in partnership with 52 state associations, we advocate on our industry’s behalf in states and locations across the nation. We operate the industry’s leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe) and unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the American Culinary Foundation
The American Culinary Federation Inc., established in 1929, is the standard of excellence for chefs in North America. With more than 17,500 members spanning more than 150 chapters nationwide, ACF is the leading culinary association offering educational resources, training, apprenticeship and programmatic accreditation. In addition, ACF operates the most comprehensive certification program for chefs in the United States, with the Certified Executive Chef®, Certified Sous Chef®, Certified Executive Pastry Chef® and Certified Culinary Educator® designations accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation is home to ACF Culinary Team USA, the official representative for the United States in major international culinary competitions. For more information, visit www.acfchefs.org. Find ACF on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Contact:
Mollie O’Dell
media@restaurant.org