Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to participate in Gondola Day, an event where experts and companies come together to share insights and trends in the retail and hospitality sector. Gondola is a leading Belgian platform for retail news and insights. During this event, CGA Nielsen presented fascinating results from their research on the hospitality industry in 2023. Here are my five key learnings.
1. Belgian hospitality visits
A first insight is that four in 10 Belgians visit a catering establishment at least once a week, which is more than in other European countries. In Belgium, restaurants lead with 79%, followed by coffee bars with 53% and bars with 36%. This differs significantly from other European countries, where the distribution is 80% restaurants, 23% coffee bars and 29% bars.
2. Drinking habits
The Belgian's drinking habits show that one in two drinks wine, followed by soft drinks (46%) and beer (45%). Cocktails rank fourth with 26% and NoLo (non-alcoholic and low-alcohol) drinks close the top five with 17%. Looking ahead to 2024, they predict a decline for all categories except soft drinks, although it is too early to draw any conclusions.
3. Popular drink categories
Belgians are avid wine drinkers, with rosé being particularly popular, putting us at the top compared to other countries. Gin remains the most popular spirit (19%), followed by vodka (17%) and rum (15%). In terms of beer, each country chooses its own favourite, but Belgium scores high with craft beer: 54% versus 33% in other European countries.
4.Factors in drink choices
The three main factors influencing drinking choices are:
1. Recommendations from the bartender: Touting specials is crucial for generating sales.
2. Detailed menu descriptions: A good menu is essential for choosing drinks.
3. Following friends: People often choose what their friends drink.
5. Importance of online reviews
Finally, and this should be part of any marketing strategy: 70% of Belgians occasionally check online reviews before visiting a catering establishment. This is a significant percentage and also confirms what Yasmin Vantuykom recently told at an Epic Dinner. Read the article on influencer marketing here.
If you want to stay further informed, sign up for the online epic community. Discover all the benefits here.