Going uphill

Just recently the Book of Excellent Pálinkas has been published in Hungary. Within the framework of the National Pálinka Excellence Programme, a committee of independent experts selected the best fruit distillates, which are featured in the book. This year 115 pálinkas qualified as ‘excellent’ and 46 were named as ‘top excellent’.

The best ones were selected from 382 different pálinkas at the competition organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Council of Pálinka (PNT) for the fourth time. Year after year pálinka makers are bringing better pálinkas to the competition. In 2017 there were more unusual fruit combinations than before. The growing popularity of pálinka is indicated by the fact that there are already about 600 pálinka distilleries in Hungary – back in 2010 there were a bit more than 500.

Consumers are more and more focused on quality. According to a Nielsen survey (September 2016 – August 2017), behind bitter ad vodka, pálinka is the third best-selling spirit: from the HUF 80-billion total spirit sales 17 percent is realised by pálinka. However, there are more than 100 brands in the market and this oversupply results in growing competition between distilleries.

There is no collective pálinka marketing and this causes problems for market players. If the pálinka segment’s marketing work can’t renew and strengthen, sales will suffer and exporting will be more difficult. Thanks to the education work of the last few years, consumers choose pálinkas and brands much more consciously than before.People are open to trying new flavours and pálinkas made from special fruits, but when it comes to making a purchase, they still tend to put the traditional flavours in their baskets. //