DRN caught up with Mike Robinson, founder and managing director of tonic brand Jeffrey’s, to find out more about the opportunities in the tonic category.

The Brits and the Americans can’t even agree on the differences between the words chips, French fries and potato crisps, so it’s not surprising that food and drink producers tend to proceed with extra caution when introducing a consumer trend from one nation to the other.

Innovation has been everywhere in the off-trade this year: canned wine is now a staple in UK supermarkets, the ready-to-drink category has exploded and you can even find hemp-infused drinks on the supermarket shelves.

When it comes to the terrors of the Halloween just past, Brexit took centre stage and on the streets of London kids and their parents dressed up as everything from Dracula to Boris Johnson. But there are more terrifying spectres than these at large in the wine world.

What’s the difference between an iPhone and a bottle of wine? The answer is absolutely everything. The two items have nothing in common. Yet for years people have described a quest for the “Apple store of wine”.

While Scotch whisky is not necessarily featuring at the top of many conversations in the off-trade, this summer it has experienced a comeback. The growing popularity of both blends and malts over the three months of summer 2019 comes hot on the heels of two key trends: premiumisation in the off-trade and the mature, affluent shopper seeking well-known brands which are delivering high quality.