Watermelon named as new alcohol flavour of choice for Summer 2024

Watermelon has been declared to be the alcohol flavour of choice for the summer of 2024. And Gen Z members are driving sales, according to new research.

Over one third of consumers opted for watermelon as their top summer flavour, passing previous and more traditional favourites, strawberry and raspberry.

And gin has been crowned Britain's top spirit, with 70% of Gen Zers opting for flavoured gins over more traditional alternatives. 

The study comes as Paragon Brands extends its G’vine gin liqueur range with the launch of new product, June Watermelon.

Watermelon scored well, with over a third of Brits (37%) selecting it as their favourite summer fruit flavour for an alcoholic beverage.  

According to the research of 2,000 Brits, drinkers are attracted to watermelon’s light and fruity taste (78%), its sweet flavour (46%), and its vibrant colour (35%). 

Whether it’s flavoured or not, we are  nation of gin drinkers, according to the study. Gin toppled vodka (17%) and whisky (17%) to be named the UK’s favourite spirit by one in four people (25%). 

As learned by the experts, the traditional stereotype of gin drinkers is evolving in line with the spirit’s booming popularity, with older female consumers no longer leading the pack.

This year, over 2024, eight in ten Brits (82%) declare themselves as gin drinkers, but it’s the younger generation driving the surge in fruity flavours, with seven in ten (69%) Gen Zers stating fruity gin tastes better than 'ordinary' gin.

Contemporary fruity twists on traditional gin have produced a wave of popularity for the spirit in young adults, with gin makers increasingly producing innovative new fruity flavours.

Paragon Brands have launched their latest gin liqueur, Watermelon June by the G’Vine collection - an inventive addition to the flourishing flavoured gin market. 

Distilled, infused and made in France, June is the perfect signature creation for G’Vine, the world’s only premium gin made from grapes and vine flowers. Which sounds very interesting.

Contemporary fruity twists on traditional gin have produced a wave of popularity for the spirit in young adults, with gin makers increasingly producing innovative new fruity flavours.

Leading this consumer trend, Paragon Brands have launched their latest gin liqueur, Watermelon June by the G’Vine collection, -a new and inventive addition to the flourishing flavoured gin market. 

Distilled, infused and crafted in France, June is the perfect signature creation for G’Vine, the world’s only premium gin made from grapes and vine flowers.

Made using only 100% natural flavours, the gin’s use of natural watermelon aroma creates a flavour that's refreshing yet rich, while delicate notes of fresh citrus fruit bring those sipping it directly into the midst of summer. A thirst-quenching and refreshing spirit, it offers notes of tangy watermelon enhanced by the freshness of cucumber and melon.

The gin supports the overall ambition of the French distillery to produce exceptional creations in the premium spirits market. 

Chris Jones, MD of Paragon Brands UK distributor for G’Vine in the UK, said: “The appetite for fruity gin is very much in full flow, especially among younger people, with the data confirming watermelon will be the ultimate taste of this summer.

“That’s why we’re launching June Watermelon, marking the continuation of G’Vine’s quest for excellence in the world of premium gin, and Paragon’s passion and dedication to offer UK consumers unique and unusual spirits."

June by G’Vine Watermelon is available in the UK in 70cl bottles, distilled at 37.5%. RRP: £33.99.

To purchase June by G’Vine Watermelon visit https://www.paragonbrands.co.uk/shop/p/june-watermelon-flavoured-gin-37-5-70cl-x-6

Bumper British melon crop harvested

Lovers of watermelons (EDITOR: This includes my wife and I!) will be in for a treat this year, because  there's a record-breaking bumper UK-grown crop on the way.

Shoppers will be able to judge for themselves when the predicted 11,000 UK-grown watermelons, the biggest crop ever produced and harvested in Britain, -exclusively hit Tesco shelves this coming week.

The fruit has been produced by the UK’s biggest watermelon grower, Oakley Farms which is based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, under the careful guidance of melon growing expert James Cackett.

James, who is as a fruit technical manager for Tesco, has spent the last 15 years working with both seed houses and British growers on developing varieties that are perfect for the UK climate and soil.

James said: “This is an absolutely  massive achievement by Oakley Farms as their previous production record was around 5,500 watermelons a few years ago so to double that inside two years is a fantastic achievement.

“The growing of watermelons in Britain is still a small and developing industry with only a handful of producers scattered all over the UK.

“When we first started selling them, in very small quantity, about 10 years back, Tesco customers were curious as to whether such an exotic looking fruit could ever be grown over here in the UK.

“But they're now very popular with shoppers firmly committed to supporting British growers and each year demand gets stronger, so it doesn’t take very long for the entire crop to sell out.”

Oakley Farms and Tesco have worked together on watermelon production for seven years and while the rainy July certainly slowed production somewhat, lesson learned from previous years has still resulted in a record-breaking year in terms of volume of production.

The farm is also the UK’s biggest producer of pumpkins and also grows courgettes and pumpkins and courgettes are both members of the cucurbit family, as are watermelons.

Oakley Farms manager Nick Molesworth added: “We began growing them after Tesco approached us and offered to work with us on the project and we felt that it made good sense as the crop would fit in perfectly between production of courgettes in late spring and pumpkins in the early autumn months.

“We've tried several different methods of growing the watermelons and are now getting more fruit per plant so the hard work is beginning to pay off for us.

“However, I have to say that they're not that easy to grow and the British climate can also be a bit of a challenge,  but we’re very pleased with this year’s crop. We believe that growing watermelons is a natural evolution for our business.”

The water melons are set to go on sale in x Tesco stores and will cost £3.49 each for the standard size and £2.50 for the mini size.

www.tesco.com