Changing trends bring huge aperitivo growth opportunity

According to alcohol market analysts IWSR, early evening is establishing itself as a key consumption occasion around the world, as consumers are attracted to refreshing, lower-ABV drinks such as the spritz.

According to IWSR happy hours and casual pre-dinner drinks are creating opportunities for a number of drinks categories, from spirit aperitifs to Prosecco and premium-plus light aperitifs.

“Alcohol consumption is occasion-driven, and while many drinkers are shunning the after-dinner moment, indicated by falling fortified wine and Cognac sales, results suggest that the pre-dinner drink remains in vogue,” said IWSR’s Chief Operating Officer Research and Operations, Emily Neill.

“The spritz, a popular drink at this time of day, has experienced a boost. Not only has this helped brands that are used in the spritz, it has also helped the sparkling wines used as a base, notably Prosecco.

“Meanwhile, premium-plus light aperitifs have been making headway in a number of the top 20 markets, while the continued rise in agave sales can also in part be credited to the use of agave spirits in a number of early evening cocktails, such as the Paloma and the Margarita.”

One product that lends itself to this trend is Prosecco, which is a seen as a lower-cost, more casual alternative to Champagne, or used as the base ingredient in the increasingly popular spritz serve.

Neill said: “Prosecco continues to be the driving force of the sparkling wine market in the US, breaking its own volume records year on year.

“The relatively recent creation of rosé Prosecco, which now accounts for one-tenth of production, has also helped to keep consumers engaged.”

The growth of spritz is also highlighted by the huge growth of premium-priced bitters/spirit aperitifs, which IWSR says have seen 18 per cent CAGR growth between 2018 and 2023. This momentum is expected to accelerate in the years ahead, with 19 per cent CAGR growth forecast for 2023-28 according to IWSR forecasts as of 15th May 2025. 

“Another growth area in the US – and in a number of top 20 markets – is that of premium-plus light aperitifs, which are ideally suited to low-key, spontaneous, early-evening drinking occasions,” Neill said.

“With a typical ABV of between 15 per cent and 22 per cent, they can be served over ice with a slice of orange or lemon, but owe much of their success to their versatility – consumed in a spritz with soda water or in a number of cocktails, including the white Negroni and the Vesper.

“In the social media age, these drinks – like the mainstream spritz and rosé Prosecco – deliver aesthetically because of their enticing colour and photogenic attributes.”

Australia has seen growth in these drinks in recent years, and this also ties in with the continued growth in agave sales as consumers increasingly enjoy other early evening cocktails such as the Paloma and the ever-popular Margarita.