What Restaurants Need to Know About RTD Adult Beverage Trends

3 Min Read By Ryan Close

As restaurants and bars struggle through the pandemic, the alcohol industry is suffering along with them. Despite a jump in store sales as consumers began drinking more at home, global alcohol sales are expected to fall about 12 percent in 2020, according to IWSR Drinks Analysis. In this challenging year, one bright spot for the industry has been the booming popularity of ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverages. 

For the three years leading up to the pandemic, RTD alcoholic beverages were the fastest-growing category, up almost 20 percent, as sales of spiked seltzers such as White Claw and Bon & V!v took off. In 2019, The Insight Partners, a research firm, estimated that the global RTD alcoholic beverage market would reach $40 million in 2027 from $26 million in 2018. 

The pandemic has only made RTDs even more popular. While it won’t last forever, consumers are unlikely to give up RTD beverages even after returning to restaurants and bars. The convenience, variety and…