Almave, in partnership with Mangrove Global, activated venues across the country to feature an Almave serve on their menus and more than 120 venues answered the call.
With Mangrove’s support, participating venues across the UK – including London’s Charlotte Street Hotel and Mexican restaurant Cavita – created a dedicated Almave serve or menu, showcasing the non-alcoholic agave spirit in-venue in January. The scale of participation underlines the growing demand for premium no & low options in hospitality, as venues respond to consumers seeking moderation and new ways to drink – not just in January, but year-round.
Mangrove MD, Nick Gillett commented:
The sheer number of venues who took part in January’s Almave activation reflects how the on-trade is responding to demand for low- and no- alcohol alternatives in-venue. We know that customers want options, want to be able to practice moderation but still enjoy the experience and that’s exactly what Almave offers.
To thank those venues for participating in the nationwide listing, Almave and Mangrove brought hospitality’s top talent together for a high-speed, Hamilton-inspired race day.
Over 100 representatives from UK bars congregated at Gravity Max in Wandsworth, joining from Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Lincoln, Edinburgh, as well as London. The top prize – four tickets to Silverstone with day passes to the luxurious pop-up hotel, along with other prizes, including a custom-made helmet and a signed bottle of Almave were up for grabs. Arthur Illingworth from Stanley Pub Group enjoyed 2nd place and Dugald Felton from Brand Stamp 3rd.
Winner of the top prize Johnny Ciardini from Ojo Rojo said:
The race itself was exhilarating, but there was much to get involved with beyond the race. The mix of activities, competition, Almave tastings was a brilliant way to bring the spirit to life. And the company wasn’t bad either.
Activations like this reflect the increasing importance of bartender advocacy within the UK on-trade. NIQs Global Bartender Report found that bartenders play a vital role in shaping brand awareness, advocating new serves, and steering customers towards premium options. In the UK that advocacy is even more prevalent, with 42% of British bartenders recommending multiple spirits and serves every shift, well above the global average of 31%.
The Almave activation is one example of how engaging the advocates behind the bar with quality liquids and meaningful experiences can drive long-term brand advocacy beyond a single month.