Spring is definitely here, and with the warmer days people will be switching to drinking more soft drinks so make sure you are set up to really take advantage of the additional sales opportunity that the summer brings.

Here’s the top tips from Breckland Orchard to enable you to really make the best of your soft drinks over Spring/Summer 2014:

1. Create a fabulous range of drinks – include waters, colas, pure fruit juice, childrens drinks and fruit juice based carbonates.  Make sure you have all elements covered off to really offer your customers a great range of ‘softs’.
2. Optimise take out sales – when customers need to hydrate upsell soft drinks to take with them.  The colder the better with soft drinks – especially in the hot weather!
3. Retro straws – candy striped paper straws are the easiest way to get an ‘ahh’ from your customers.
4. Update Ice and a Slice – how about using some inclusions in your cubes?  Try herbs [rosemary. Lemon thyme] or fruits [lime, lemon, raspberries] for a twist to set you apart.  Or you could add fruits to your glass when serving – it really does help elevate the presentation to something memorable.
5. Guest Soft Drinks – add some theatre by having some rotating guest soft drinks/drinks of the month.  This will encourage customers to come back and means that there is always something new and different.  If they sell well you can always add them to your standard offering.
6. Build in Stories – research the background of your drinks suppliers and educate customers…It’ll add to their customer experience.  People love hearing about the stories behind what they are eating/drinking, and it will help you differentiate yourself from the standard chain cafes to boot!
7. Create Pairings – pair up food and drinks.  By suggesting these to customers you’ll be able to upsell as well as introduce them to something new.  You could offer these as part of a dish of the day. How about a Chorizo and Rocket Panini with a spicy Ginger Beer? Or a retro-inspired lunch offering of a Fish Finger Sandwich with a bottle of Dandelion and Burdock.
8. Point of Sale – ask your suppliers for POS to drive and promote your range of soft drinks.
9. Soft Drink inspired cakes/scones – How about some Lemonade Cup Cakes, Elderflower Drizzle Cake or Ginger Beer Scones?  The more creative the better and they’ll work fabulously as pairings too.
10. Look after your young customers – a babychino or a small tumbler of ‘squash’ is a great low cost way to add a smile to mum/grannys faces.

Have a fabulous summer of soft drinks

Cheers!

Website:  www.brecklandorchard.co.uk