Mix-ins. Enhancements. Coffee. The Dirty Shirley. There’s a lot to keep up on in the business of alcohol sales, including, interest in ready to go drinks. Read on for some of the latest trends to make sure your business is stocked up on what everyone’s buying—and learn about bonds too.
Pass The Vodka: The Dirty Shirley
Summer trends started early this year: in May, The New York Times reported that sweet, vodka-spiked Shirley Temples were in demand at bars, among customers eager to “embrace the colorful and over-the-top.” This is certainly a trend that’s easy to spot:
Look for a tall glass of Sprite with a gradient of bright red grenadine and a maraschino cherry floating on top. The flavor profile — syrupy, verging on sickly sweet.
“It’s going to be a volcanic summer of Dirty Shirleys,” said Ashwin Deshmukh, a founder of Short Stories, a popular (and very pink) bar on the Bowery. He was calling from the SoHo bar, Fanelli Cafe, where the Dirty Shirley is his go-to drink. “My friends are sitting outside right now,” he said, “and I bet if I send them a round of Dirty Shirleys, the entire outside would start ordering them.”…The drink’s popularity reaches far beyond the intersection of Prince and Mercer Streets. One Dirty Shirley demo on TikTok has 6.4 million views, and, in other videos, the drink has been memed, mocked, riffed on and, in one case, dubbed “the new espresso martini,” which was the summer drink of 2021.
Hard Coffee? Kombucha Too
Perhaps the opposite of The Dirty Shirley, hard coffee, popular in the 1990s seems to be coming back big time. Exploding Topics reports: “Between 2019 and 2020, hard coffee sales grew by 1,100%. The most popular preparation of 2022 is a mildly sweet, good-for-you cold brew. Mr. Black Coffee Liquor offers 10 times more coffee concentration than classic brands like Kahlua but packs only half the sugar.”
The hard kombucha market is growing too—and expected to continue doing so over the next five years. According to Exploding Topics, Flying Embers is among the most popular brands in this market: “The startup raked in $20 million in a Series C funding round in early 2022. And they’ve reported 93% growth year-over-year.”
Just a Beer, Please?
Maybe not? Stats show a decline:“In 1990, beer was responsible for 87% of the volume. In 2020, it was down to 72%.” This may in part account for the increasing diversification occurring in the marketplace: “In recent months we’ve seen non-alcoholic beverage producers enter the alcoholic market. As well as beer brewers launching spirits and hard seltzers. Ekos, a company that offers business management systems for craft breweries, reports that 31% of their customers say they’ll be launching new types of products in the next two years.”
Investing In The Trends
Looking to join the fun? Expand your offerings? Ready to stop selling out of a cooler and open a great new place in town? Just remember, anyone in the business of making, distributing, serving or selling liquor needs a liquor license bond and Colonial Surety is here to help. We’re direct bond writers—so we provide our lowest possible rate direct to business owners. Our digital bonds are customized to the specifications for alcohol licensing in every market around the country.
We make it so easy to obtain a liquor license bond that you can do it now. Alternatively referred to as an alcoholic retailer license bond, the steps to obtaining these bonds at Colonial are simple: get a quote online, fill out the information, and enter a payment method. Then you can simply print or even e-file your bond from anywhere.
What Exactly Is a Liquor License Bond?
Sometimes referred to as an alcoholic retailer license bond, or simply as an alcohol beverage bond, a liquor license bond is a type of surety bond and involves three parties: the obligee (the public entity requiring the bond); the principal (the person needing the bond); and the surety company that issues the bond. Essentially, when you secure a liquor license bond, you are guaranteeing that you will abide by all of the regulations applicable in your state. Failure to do so can result in a claim against your bond. In that way, liquor license bonds serve as a form of protection to the public—a commitment that your alcohol retail business is run professionally, honestly and in accordance with the law. (If you want to learn more about surety bonds, you’ll find this brief video helpful.)
It is critical for a liquor license bond to be written to the specific requirements of the obligee. As a direct writer, Colonial is prepared to meet the specific requirements of obligees across the country—and we are licensed for business in every state. There’s no need to get stuck in the middle when you are required to obtain an liquor license bond:: get it directly, right here today.
Stay Current
Keep in mind, when states require bonds, renewing them is not a choice—it’s an obligation. Businesses and professionals required to secure bonds as a condition of state licensure must carefully adhere to bond renewal dates. The consequences of failing to maintain a current bond include lapse in state licensure, gaps in coverage for claims made against the bond and the delays and fees associated with beginning all over again with a new bond. Conveniently, at Colonial Surety, license bonds can be efficiently renewed before the term ends, enabling businesses to maintain licensure and avoid the consequences and fees associated with expired bonds. Our user friendly online license bond service makes it quick and easy to obtain thousands of license and permit bonds—and our knowledgeable customer service team is at the ready too.
Obtain License and Permit Bonds Here.
Branching Out?
Looking to boost your earning potential as you branch into new business or career paths? Colonial Surety is here to help small businesses and self-starters in every field. Our direct, digital portfolio of 4,000 license and permit bonds makes it easy to obtain the specific, business and professional bonds required in every part of the country. From mortgage broker, to real estate agent, to motor vehicle dealer, collection agent and more—you name it, we most likely have exactly what you need: license and permit bonds here.
As a national surety bond leader, Colonial makes it quick and efficient to obtain license bonds in just a few clicks, online, anytime, from anywhere. Founded in 1930, Colonial Surety Company is a leading direct seller and writer of surety bonds and insurance products across the USA. Colonial is rated “A Excellent” by A.M. Best Company and U.S. Treasury listed. Our customers have awarded us a 4.8 TrustScore—and they especially appreciate our speedy, easy service. You will too—we promise!