Millennials’ Adult Beverage Choices Evolve as They Mature

With nearly three in 10 U.S. adults being Millennials of legal drinking age, the Millennial generation (born between 1977 and 1992) is a crucial demographic for bev/al marketers.

Donna Hood Crecca, senior director at Technomic, calls them “ideal adult beverage consumers. They are open and willing to learn about new styles and flavors of beer, wine and spirits. They are frequent consumers in many retail and restaurant settings, where they balance exploration and trial with loyalty to a few favorite brands that deliver on flavor, quality and price.”

Technomic’s just-published Special Trends in Adult Beverages Report shows how catering to Millennials can boost profits for all in the bev/al chain.  Key findings include:

  • Equal opportunity imbibers: Millennials are likely to purchase adult beverages at a variety of retail and on-premise venues. This group is also open to engaging in all three adult beverage categories—spirits, wine and beer—as well as a range of different types and flavors of alcohol drinks.
  • Age brings sophistication: As Millennials age, they are more inclined to buy craft beer and to have a more evolved palate for exploring different varietals and regions of beer and wine.
  • A propensity to drink multiple types of adult beverages on a single occasion: 30 percent of Millennials consumed more than one type of drink on their most recent on-premise occasion. Primary reasons for switching were a desire to experiment with different beverages or flavors or to try a new drink.

Balancing adventure and loyalty: Historically adventuresome in their drinking habits, Millennials continue to explore, especially in on-premise settings, as they mature. They transfer their new discoveries from restaurant experiences to their retail buying decisions while also balancing curiosity with loyalty to some tried-and-true brands.

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