'We all have a responsibility to normalise not drinking'
Laura Willoughby MBE, Founder of Club Soda
"A non-drinking guest's expectation of what will be on offer for them at work and corporate receptions is usually so low that they will be planning their exit before they’ve even arrived. I have lost count of the times that I have been at an event where guests have been welcomed with a tray of wine or beer, and I have been directed to the corner of the room to help myself to some warm concentrated orange juice. These events were not a breakfast, and nor is it 1980 any more - why is orange juice still considered a drink option?
The great news for everyone in hospitality is that formerly dull alcohol-free drinks have had an innovation makeover. You no longer need to serve your adult guests a lemonade. There are low calorie and sugar-free options like Lucky Saint, Noughty and Everleaf and many tasty alcohol-free wines and lower sugar craft sodas available.
So how can you up your game?
Most drink receptions are catered on the basis that everyone drinks alcohol. They ignore the fact that there are many attendees who will be driving, pregnant, dieting, or going to the gym next morning, as well as maybe not drinking for religious reasons. What is their experience of your event going to be?
Here are the top reasons to give your drinks menu an overhaul:
- You want to be inclusive - When you are not drinking, the level of thought that has gone into your attendance at a reception is really obvious. A warm glass of orange juice concentrate screams ‘we don’t really care if you stay or not’. You cater for vegetarians with your food options, why not do the same for those not drinking alcohol?
- You want them to stay and network - You can plan a fantastic event, but it all means nothing if there’s no one in the room. People looking to drink less, or not at all, will have their early exit planned. Or they might not even show up in the first place.
- Over 60% of all drinkers are trying to cut down - The mindful drinking trend encompasses a huge number of occasional drinkers too, who will be glad to be offered more choice. Club Soda members tell us that their resolve will often break at work and networking events, where poor alcohol-free options nudge them towards ‘fitting in’ with a glass of wine.
- By providing real choice – from full strength wines and beers to lower ABV products and alcohol-free drinks – you are enabling people to make the right decisions for them. Most importantly, you are creating an environment where your guests can refuse alcohol without feeling embarrassed or ashamed about it. Incidentally, we have often observed that when a good alcohol-free option is on the menu, the number of people opting to drink it is much higher – it is the drink in the hand that is important, not how much alcohol is in it.
- And don’t forget that all drinks are created equal. Put your low and no alcohol options front and centre alongside their boozy counterparts. And please please please serve them in a grown up glass. If you have waiters serving the alcohol, then do the same with the alcohol-free drinks, rather than asking your guests to serve themselves. And remember that water is for everyone (especially those drinking) and is not an alcohol-free option!
Finally, use your consumer of corporate power and make sure that when you next book external venues, retender your catering contract or go to awards ceremonies you make it known that good alcohol free to a deal breaker!
Laura
Club Soda is the UK's mindful drinking specialist. Experts in alcohol and behaviour change, they also run the Club Soda Tasting Room & Bar in Covent Garden. The Tasting Rooms are a space for consumers to try and buy low and no alcohol drinks and for brands to connect with consumers and the trade.
Club Soda is a social impact B Corp Business and creates change, choice and connection through research, events, drinks expertise, corporate workshops, menu conclusion and more.
You can find Club Soda at joinclubsoda.com on social @joinclubsoda and at The Club Soda Tasting Rooms, 39 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5RR
- Laura Willoughby MBE is the founder of the world’s largest mindful drinking, Club Soda, and the UK’s foremost expert in low and no alcoholic drinks. Club Soda runs the new Low & No Tasting Rooms in Covent Garden.
- Receiving an MBE for services to the community in 2004, Laura’s devotion to Club Soda means hundreds of thousands of people are supported in their journeys to live well by being more mindful about drinking alcohol.
- Laura was voted one of 2022’s 100 most influential women in hospitality by CODE, named as one of Drinks Retailing’s latest Top 100 Most Influential People in Drink and is a Trustee for The Drinks Trust
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