Afternoon tea has long been a popular tourist experience for those visiting the UK, but new research from Mintel indicates it could also be a key growth area for the British pub sector. As a profitable way to extend the day parts, it's worth consideration.
The quintessentially British afternoon tea forms a lucrative part of the food and drink offerings at many of the nation's top hotels as well as an increasing number of restaurants and cafes. However, it is an experience which has been largely overlooked by the pub sector. Mintel's latest Pub Catering Report revealed that although over a quarter (29%) of Brits have ordered a hot drink from a pub, only 9% have visited a pub for a full afternoon tea or even coffee and cake. When you consider the significant proportion who are happy to pay a visit to the pub for a hot drink, it suggests that if afternoon tea were more prevalent on the pub menu, a bite to accompany that drink might well prove popular amongst guests.
Richard Caines, Mintel's senior food and drink analyst, commented: "[This] suggests scope for more pubs to build revenues by encouraging people to have something with their hot drink. Making items like cakes, biscuits or sweet pastries visible at the bar during the quieter afternoon period should offer a very tangible reminder and proof of the quality of their offering."
When it comes to tea, quality is everything in the UK market. Earlier this year, Hospitality and Catering News reported that the nation's tea out-of-home market had grown to an annual turnover of £305 million. The Tea Out-of-Home UK 2016 report, from Allegra World Coffee Portal, revealed that Brits prefer a classic brew with 62% of consumers choosing tea with milk as their favourite. However, the demand for premium varieties was found to be growing with approximately half (49%) stating they would be prepared to spend more on a premium variety such as loose leaf mesh bags or loose leaf in a pot.
In the long term, afternoon tea innovation will be driven by hospitality operators who are able to transform and improve the consumer's out-of-home tea experience. Will your product, coupled with great guest experience, sway your guests?
