Magazine: At a European quality level

Ádám Kamarás
Campari és Fluère
brand ambassador
Coca-Cola HBC
Magyarország

Ádám Kamarás, brand ambassador of Campari and Fluère (Coca Cola HBC Magyarország) spoke to our magazine about the uncertainties that characterised 2020 in many respects. He told that last year forced every bar and restaurant to be adaptive and creative. In his view most bars will welcome guests back with novelties.

László Metzger 
brand ambassador
Roust Hungary

László Metzger, brand ambassador of Roust Hungary Kft. talked about the important role the Hungarian Bartender Association plays in these hard times, ensuring that members of the bar community stay in touch during the lockdown. His expectation is that sales will go above the average when places reopen.

Trends and habits

Mr Metzger opines that international bar trends reach Hungary with a few-year delay. Currently the most influential trend is the consumption of high-end gins. A welcome change is the omission of plastic drinking straws. Many large distilleries are experimenting with 20-percent alcohol products, alcohol-free drinks and high-concentration spirits, e.g. a standard size gin tonic can be made with 5ml of gin instead of the usual 30-40ml.

Low ABV (alcohol by volume) cocktails have been popular for years and Mr Kamarás informed that the NoLo segment (low- and no-alcohol drinks) has expanded by 506 percent since 2015. One of the biggest novelties in the alcoholic drink portfolio of Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország is alcohol-free Fluère distillates: Fluère Original in gin flavour and Fluère Spiced Cane in aged rum flavour.

The number of conscious expert consumers constantly rises and they not only want to drink something in a bar, but want to see a show, too

Premixed

Ádám Kamarás said: RTD (ready-to-drink) and premix drinks are still less popular in Hungary than in Western Europe. RTD drinks are relatively expensive and the fact that sales are slow means many retailers aren’t willing to give them shelf space.

László Metzger agreed that only a limited number of RTD drinks are available in Hungary. In his view this also has to do with the fact that demand is high for quality beers and wines in Hungary, and this is exactly the category where RTD drinks are competing.

Colourful flavours

Erika Gyarmati
key account manager
Panna Cocktail

Our magazine asked Erika Gyarmati, key account manager of Panna Cocktail Kft. – they distribute Monin syrups – about the domestic syrup market. She told that syrup sales have been growing in the retail channel during the pandemic. In 2020 many syrup manufacturers tried to enter bars and restaurants with lower-priced syrups, but very often these places returned to the high quality products such as Monin syrups after one try. Typically quality syrups are made with cane sugar and have high fruit content.

In line with the coffee trends, last yarer Monin developed a Cold Brew syrup. Monin has made a pledge to become carbon neutral by 2023. Many consumers want syrups to be free from preservatives and artificial colours. Because of the health trends a growing number of low-sugar and sugar-free syrups are available. //

Guests change together with the bartender

Miklós Hubai
brand ambassador
Beam Suntory
(Heinemann)

Hungary’s bar culture underwent great changes in the last few years. Hungarians have become much more willing to try other cocktails than the classic Pina Colada, Mojito, Sex on the Beach and the like.

In the meantime a new generation of bartenders grew up. Those who belong to this generation learned the trade abroad and now use their knowledge and skills to offer something new in Hungary. It is in Budapest where we find the most bars, but there are one or two places in every county seat that represents the same level.

Being a bartender means constant learning and I, as the Hungarian brand ambassador of Beam Suntory, can teach them primarily about bourbon whiskies and Japanese spirits, in the form of courses and training programmes.

Not only the bartenders have made progress, guests have changed, too: they trust bartender recommendations more than before, but this also depends on how prepared the bar staff is and how much time they have for communicating with guests. //