When dining out, consumers that “belly up to the bar” might ask their bartenders for recommendations on a particular brand or cocktail. Today, these bartenders are more likely to be formally trained and highly knowledgeable about the alcohol beverage category and its many diverse brands, says Kevin Moran, president of MetrixLab (U.S.) in a statement.
“Over the past 15 years, we have seen the bartender grow from a job to a profession; from drink slinger to mixologist,” Moran said. Because bartenders engage with an average of 700 customers a week and there are more than 800,000 bartender influencers, “they are able to make or break a brand’s success in the on-premise environment,” he says.