Is this really worth my time?
“Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”- William Shakespeare
As business owners, it is understandable that your time is going to be limited. The balance of everything at hand compacted with your personal life responsibilities is not easy. Some days, I look back at what I was able to accomplish, and I beat myself up for not doing more. Some days, I feel proud.
Throw in the things that pop up, technical issues, hiring and firing of employees and other outside factors, and oof! It’s a lot. Now….all of a sudden there is this shift is our societies social life and we have a call for something that has never been done before. Not only has it never been done before, but it’s literally the opposite of what most of us have been brought up knowing as “the norm”.
Growing up, I couldn’t wait to be 21, legally able to sit at a bar in my grown-up fancy clothes and sip on an alcoholic drink. It was a goal post of mine which I associated with being an adult, grown up and sophisticated. Alcohol has been ingrained in our society as a necessity for social engagements, happy hours, upscale dinners out and celebrations. However, this is changing, and it is changing incredibly quickly.
In 2023 alone, non-alcoholic beer, wine and spirits topped $565 million in sales. This is a 35% boost in dollar sales compared to 2022. This growth is expected to happen in 2024 as well, which is incredible considering we have seen growth around 4-6% in previous years.
At this point, adding premium non-alcoholic options to your bar, wedding venue, restaurant, bottle shop, grocery store, networking events, hotels, bridal shops, nursing homes, private events, sporting events, is just smart. The number of people who are mindfully drinking is growing and they are looking to you to adapt to the change and provide them a healthy alternative to a boozy cocktail. 94% of your customers that are ordering the NA drinks are also purchasing your alcoholic options. This movement is not so much a sober movement as it is a mindful drinking one. 97% of people who have purchased a non-alcoholic drink in the past 30 days have also purchased a drink with alcohol. These numbers are important as you learn about the brands out there and your non-alcoholic menu selections.
The “juice and bubble” blend is not enough. You *have to* give them an option that supports their healthy lifestyle. A lot of people are not drinking for health reasons and those sugary drinks do not cut it. We dove into this is my first blog.
Drink Less Fest is happening in just a few weeks. This event is taking place to provide you with over twenty-five options to add to your business. Charlotte Beverage Distribution and The Roaring Social have put this event together with over 17 brands from ALL OVER THE GLOBE for our community. There is zero cost for beverage managers, bar/restaurant owners, managers and so on to attend. Anyone that would purchase product wholesale to serve in a business can come for free. The brands that are participating in this event are paying thousands of dollars and graciously giving Charlotte a weekend of their time to help us grow. The speakers on the panel at this event have never met in person and the fact that Charlotte has the opportunity to witness these key players in the non-alcoholic community speak on a panel is so huge! We are giving you the opportunity to learn about the NA world, where it was, is and where it is going.
PLEASE COME! Yes, I am begging you. I have no shame at all in that. This is personal for me. I want to come into your establishment and eat your delicious food. Your community needs you. Your business needs you to do this. Not offering non-alcoholic options is leaving revenue on the table! You’re losing out on potential customers. You have the opportunity to visit SO many brands from one end of this earth to the other in ONE place! You have the unique opportunity to meet with brand owners, founders, creators, representatives and ambassadors. Something like this has NEVER taken place in this state, or even region. Drink Less Fest is a huge deal in the hospitality industry, and you absolutely have to do everything you can to attend. If you can’t make it, send your mindful drinking customer, GM, send your host. Just send someone.
Additionally, invite your customers. Drink Less Fest gives them an opportunity to try the brands out as well. This is a great chance to get their feedback as well. Find out what they want the most. We are giving you a very hard job in picking just a few brands to start out with. Charlotte Beverage Distribution has a portfolio like no-other! We are offering the TOP of the line, premium HEALTHY choices.
Message me, Casey directly. I will happily send you the code for your free ticket.
Being early in this wave in Charlotte is a smart business decision and I have made the best use of your time by bringing this event together for you. Get all your questions answered, gather all the information you need to create an impressive non-alcoholic cocktail menu and meet a handful of leaders in the NA community.
Better too early, than too late. This movement is here. Are you here with us?
