Paul Grace, director of GB field sales at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP), bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola, Schweppes, Monster and Appletiser, tells Karen Peattie why the Scottish licensed trade is so important to the growth of the wider soft drinks industry
FOR Paul Grace, the Scottish on-trade has never been more exciting. Indeed, Scotland has never been more exciting and as the director of GB field sales at CCEP describes his recent family holiday in Loch Lomond his passion for all things north of the Border is evident – apart from the midges, that is.
“I was bitten alive,” he says. “They were everywhere and they all seemed to like me!” Grace won’t allow the tiny terrors to stop his company’s plans for Scotland in its tracks, however. On the contrary, CCEP’s dedicated 100-strong on-trade field sales team is fast expanding with upweighted support in Scotland, particularly in the central belt.
“Previously we were having to share resources but with a dedicated team we can really move forward with a clear strategy,” he explains. “It’s still quite early days but we have a team of eight focused on Scotland, largely covering the area from Aberdeen to the Borders.
“While we are putting much emphasis on the central belt just now that doesn’t mean that we are ignoring the rest of the country – we’re very aware that there are many excellent operators all over Scotland and we’ll get there eventually but our strategy is to focus on the most populated areas just now.”
So, the key question is: how is CCEP supporting the licensed trade in Scotland? Like many other suppliers, CCEP is tapping into the buoyant bartender scene which is striking a chord with the younger generation who are increasingly viewing bartending as a career choice – not simply a “job” to help them through university or college, or as a stopgap until something better turns up.
“Bartending is now a career opportunity for young people,” says Grace. “It suits a lot of people because of the social aspect and its vibrancy, and if you look around the central belt you’ll see a lot of bars – and small chains – that have been started by people whose first experience of the industry was working behind a bar.
“The Scottish bar industry has become very entrepreneurial and that is an area we want to exploit.”
Earlier this month, Lewis Marshall from The Anchor Line in Glasgow received Best Tasting Cocktail for his Schweppes Garden Party creation – a refreshing twist on a spritzer – in the Schweppes National Bartender Competition, an event held to recognise, reward and raise the profile of bartending across the licensed trade, and the important role of soft drinks in cocktail making.
One of six finalists, Lewis was judged on his speed of service and, along with the others, challenged with preparing an original serve using Schweppes Sparkling Juice Drinks as a mandatory ingredient, with marks awarded for taste, presentation and overall entertainment.
The final round saw each competitor presented with a mystery box of ingredients, which included sweet foods, herbs, fruit and vegetables. From this they had to pick three ingredients and create an innovative, mouthwatering cocktail. Karol Terejlis from Baltic on London’s Blackfriars Road picked up the top prize.
Grace, a judge at the final, commented afterwards: “We placed a brand with more than 230 years heritage into the hands of the future of our industry, and the innovation and craft displayed was remarkable. Schweppes is still the classic mixer chosen by those in the know and the competition showed yet again that the brand is as relevant today as when Jacob Schweppes put the bubble in the bottle in 1783.
“The competition was a chance to engage with some of the rising stars in the sector and learn from their ideas and hopefully inspire them to create the next Schweppes signature serve.”
The National Bartending Competition is part of CCEP’s investment in the Schweppes brand, a focus which has seen a revamp of its pack design with a bold, new look to showcase its premium credentials to adult consumers. Schweppes mixers are now available with striking new black labels which demonstrate the brand’s longstanding heritage as the “creator of bubbles since 1783”.
“It’s a big year for Schweppes with the biggest campaign for the brand in 20 years,” Grace points out. “It’s the nation’s favourite mixer but every so often it needs a good polish so it’s getting its biggest investment for over a decade. We’re also considering the growth in craft gin and other spirits so it’s the perfect time for us to be holding up Schweppes as one of the licensed trade’s iconic brands.”
Another brand experiencing an uplift in trade and marketing activity in 2016 is Appletiser with pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor the face of the brand as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Richard Woods, known as “The Cocktail Guy”, has created a range of special cocktails to mark the occasion.
“Again, it’s easy to let your big brands tick over but we’re celebrating the fact that Appletiser is the number one adult sparkling brand in on-premises,” says Grace. “It remains a much-loved brand and as well as enjoying it as a soft drink we want to get across the message that it’s a great ingredient for cocktails – both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – using Appletiser and Appletiser Apple & Pomegranate.”
Meanwhile, CCEP’s Designated Driver Christmas campaign continues to gather pace, rewarding consumers who drive to the pub by offering a free second soft drink when they purchase a Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Life, Coca-Cola Zero, Diet Coke, a Schweppes drink, or Appletiser.
Last year, the company launched its online Designated Driver Pub Finder to help consumers more easily find licensed premises with car parking and that appeal to families as well as young adults. “I was really aware of Scotland’s lower drink-driving limit when I was on holiday here,” says Grace. “I introduced the Designated Drive campaign nine years ago and it’s even more relevant today, particularly north of the Border.
“Take the Euros, for example. There’s a huge opportunity around soft drinks given the timings of some of the games which kick off about teatime – people might pop into the pub to watch it when they leave work but still have to drive home so won’t be drinking alcohol. It’s about seeking out every opportunity and for the licensed trade it’s not always about alcohol.
“Food – and providing good quality food – is also becoming increasingly relevant for many operators which is why we’re keen to work with community and family-friendly establishments and help them say to their customers, ‘Look, you can bring your children here and enjoy something nice to eat’.”
As an official sponsor of UEFA EURO 2016 TM in France, Coca-Cola is focusing on making everyday moments more special for fans and has been running its Win Tickets on-pack promotions offering 504 prizes of four tickets for the most keenly anticipated games.
Health Message
With soft drinks very much in the spotlight thanks to Chancellor George Osborne’s proposals for a so-called “sugar tax”, Grace points to some current facts: “We have invested £30m in reformulation (2012-17), 39% of the drinks we sell in the UK are now lower or no calorie and 43% of the Coca-Cola that we sell here is sugar free.
“But we are not stopping there,” he continues. “We are committed that by 2020, 50% or more of our Coca-Cola sales in Great Britain will be lower or no calorie variants – we will be the first country in the world to achieve this.”
CCEP and SLTA
As Paul Grace looks forward to further strengthening CCEP’s relationship with the SLTA, he points to teamwork and a clear understanding of the Scottish market as pivotal to future success.
“We pulled together a fantastic group of people in Scotland to work with the licensed trade with Nadia Watt heading up field sales, supported by Dean Bennett, senior manager for field sales,” he says. “We’re really excited about the future and see our relationship with the SLTA as one that we must strengthen and nurture for mutual benefit.
“A strong licensed trade needs a strong trade association and it’s great to see the SLTA working closely with suppliers to achieve the best solutions for its members.”
Lewis Marshall’s award-winning Schweppes Garden Party
Ingredients: First Dawn Sauvignon Blanc, Briottet Fraise de Bois, strawberries, mint, blackberries, Schweppes Sparkling Lemon and Elderflower Juice
Method: Stirred
Garnish: Berries and Mint