Page 24 - BOSS Today Issue 22

Beverages

DRINK

AND BE

MERRY

BOSS investigates the opportunities within the
fast-growing hot and cold beverages sector.

t has long been recognised catering products were being Healthy Impulses
Ithat the sale of beverages purchased more frequently by Industry statistics would tend
is a major opportunity for UK companies than any other to suggest that, overall, the
the UK OP industry. In last FM category – making this cold beverages sector is not
year’s major research study both a large and potentially only the largest – but also the
‘FM Supplies: Mountain very attractive product sector fastest-growing – impulse
Or Molehill?’, published in for OP channels. food category in the UK. Now
conjunction with OPI, Martin Indeed, while the study valued at £1.6bn, the UK soft
Wilde Associates (MWA) found showed that, on average, drinks market grew 3.4% last
that of the sample of 300 between 10-20% of these year, compared to the 6%
B2B end-user respondents purchases were currently from decline experienced in the next
interviewed, 72% bought OP resellers, this suggested not largest category (chocolate
catering products, spending an only that the OP industry now confectionery) and the
average of £48 per employee has a foothold in this sector, but smaller falls seen in the sugar
per year. In addition, the also that there is a great deal of confectionery and crisps and
MWA/OPI research found that the market still to go for. snacks sectors (see Figure 1).

24 BOSS TODAY | May 2014

Bevs.indd 2 08/05/2014 09:19