FEATURE
BIG NIGHT IN
26 ASIAN TRADER 19 SEPTEMBER 2025
hol market.
The no-ABV alternative to
Inch’s Medium Apple provides an
opportunity to create excitement
around moderation and wellness.
It is available in 4x440ml
multipack cans.
Alcohol-free is a burgeoning
category of its own, with double
digit growth expected this year.
Caleño’s range of tropical
non-alcoholic spirits joined the
Paragon Brands portfolio earlier
this year and is winning the
consumer and the trade with its
sunny Colombian spirit.
Aiming to be the leading
non-alcoholic rum brand, Caleño
has successfully led the category
with a mission to bring joy to not
drinking, while building a vibrant
brand proposition that is as
exciting as any alcoholic spirit.
What is trending
Staying in has gone from second
choice to first pick. While
convenience stores are cashing in,
it is important to keep a tab on
what works and what does not.
Like when it comes to snacks,
sharing bags isa must.
Tash Jones, Commercial
Director at Fairfields Farm,
explains, “Whatever the occasion,
people love digging into sharing
bags of crisps. Our 150g Fairfields
Farm share bags, for example,
perform exceptionally well
during this occasion.”
Another growing trend is
increased health consciousness.
Consumers are paying more
attention to the ingredients in
their food and are gravitating
towards lighter options around
this time of year.
Consumers tend to reach for
more premium items, like
hand-cooked crisps, that elevate
their at-home experience, helping
to replicate the feel of dining out.
Another trend that keeps
showing its head in every aisle is
premiumisation.
According to Rachel Wells,
Commercial Director at St Pierre
Groupe, premiumisation is
everywhere and this also includes
elevating everyday purchases like
bakery, something which makes
St Pierre’s brioche buns and hot
dog rolls big sellers for Big Nights
ins.
“Shoppers love St
Pierre’s signature
golden, soft, and
decadent brioche,
because it’s perfect for
big nights in, barbecues,
and everyday indulgence,
but we are not stopping
there,” Wells adds.
St Pierre is turning up
the heat by adding to our
range a Spicy Chilli Brioche
Bun in a 4-pack, which
infuses our best-selling brioche
with the bold warmth of chilli for
an irresistible kick.
St Pierre Brioche and Seeded
Brioche Buns and Hot Dog Rolls
are pre-sliced for convenience and
benefit from an extended shelf
life, to help reduce in and out of
home wastage.
At this time of year, depending
on the weather, a Big Night In can
include anything from a barbecue
in the garden to watching sport on
TV or relaxing with a movie or
favourite drama.
Either way it’s an opportunity
for retailers to encourage
shoppers to trade up and buy their
favourite treats.
And unlike the multiples,
independent retailers have the
flexibility to quickly respond to
changing trends and local
demand.
Small shops, big wins
With a little thought and
planning, indies can
outplay supermarkets
when it comes to cashing
in Big Night In booms.
Alexander Wilson, Cat
egory & Commercial
Strategy Director at
HEINEKEN UK, feels
that convenience
retailers can capitalise
by stocking small- and
mid-sized packs of
more recent beer and
cider launches, such as Cruzcam
po, Birra Moretti Sale di Mare and
Strongbow Strawberry, to drive
interest to the fixture when
customers are hosting, where
bigger multipacks might be
warranted, and people are more
likely to buy something new to
impress guests.
I scream, you scream,
we all scream for …
Kerry Cavanaugh, general
manager at Mars Drinks &
Treats, on the role of ice cream in
convenience world
Multipacks now account for roughly 47 per cent of all ice
cream sales.
Mars Ice Cream Bar four pack is currently among the best-
selling chocolate based ice cream products in convenience
Purchase of ice cream in convenience overtrades on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday during the late afternoon and early
evening hours.
In convenience stores, freezer space can be limited in
comparison to major multiples, so stores primarily focus on
best sellers, with the secondary inclusion of some NPD from
trusted brands.
Max your snacks
Ed Merrett, Wholesale Controller
at PepsiCo, shares top tips from
Max Your Snacks report for
retailers:
Locating your main snacking fixture close to other impulse
categories, near front of store is important for catching
shopper attention.
Remain mindful of HFSS legislation and prioritise products
that adhere to these rules by stocking non-HFSS products in
key locations.
Secondary sitings in store are vital to the category, particularly
as they prompt unplanned purchases, which account for 60
per cent of sales in convenience.
Blocking your main fixture based on key missions for later
(multipacks), for tonight (sharing), singles and PMPs makes it
easier for shoppers to find what they are looking for.
Retailers should make use of point-of-sale materials, as these
can drive excitement and signpost shoppers towards both
core and new innovations.