What’s Hot to Stock this Summer

With summer set to begin and BBQ season in full swing, shopper intelligence firm Catalina is projecting a significant sales uptick in new beverage and tableware options at grocery and convenience stores. Those projections are detailed in the firm’s latest Shopper Intelligence Platform, which identifies audiences and measures purchase behavior in real time.

One major trend: overall, the pre-mixed cocktails category is expected to grow by 11 percent year over year in 2023 and is becoming increasingly competitive, with major players driving innovation to differentiate themselves.

“We expect pre-mixed cocktails to be well-stocked in picnic coolers across the country this summer, at the expense of hard seltzer and domestic beer and wine,” said Sean Murphy, Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Catalina. “Hosts can now conveniently offer a wider variety of flavors and styles–from a classic margarita to fruit-infused vodka spritzes – that are typically more affordable than buying individual ingredients. They are also lower in calories and sugar than many other alcoholic beverages.”

Also of note: Unit sales of sustainable bowls, plates and cutlery have taken a deep dive since last year, as impact studies continue to show most sustainable plastic tableware products don’t fully break down in landfills.

As an alternative, Catalina says industry reports show hosts are increasingly opting for tableware made with melamine, an organic compound, as a value-driven sustainable alternative. The size of the U.S. market is expected to grow to $1.3 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate of 8 percent. When comparing costs, a set of basic melamine plates costs about $10 while disposable plates cost $5 – so hosts who use them more than twice can save money and help the environment.

Click here for more from the report.