Waitrose Reports Rise in Savoury Cocktail Sales

Waitrose has reported rising sales of sauces, citrus juices and seasonings as UK shoppers turn from sweet drinks to spicy, savoury cocktails at home this summer.

The supermarket said demand is being driven by Mexican-inspired serves such as spicy margaritas, Palomas and Micheladas. Picklebacks, which pair a shot of whiskey with pickle brine, are also attracting consumer interest.

Compared with last year, sales of Cooks’ Ingredients Mexican Style Seasoning increased by 40%. Cooks’ Ingredients Lemon Juice rose by 33%, while Lime Juice was up 28%.

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce and Tabasco Pepper Sauce both recorded sales growth of 25% year on year. Sales of Cooks’ Ingredients Basil increased by 13%.

Waitrose also reported a 19% week-on-week rise for Maldon Chilli Sea Salt. That figure uses a shorter comparison period than the retailer’s year-on-year results for other products.

The trend reflects growing interest in cocktails built around salty, spicy and acidic flavours. Shoppers are using chilli salt, Mexican-style seasoning, herbs and citrus zest to replace or upgrade the traditional salt rim.

Spicy margaritas typically combine citrus flavours with salt and seasoning. Palomas add grapefruit, while Micheladas use beer alongside ingredients such as lime, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

Social media and London’s bar scene are helping these flavours reach home drinkers, according to Waitrose. Customers are recreating drinks they encounter online or in hospitality venues using ingredients available in supermarket grocery aisles.

Why does this matter for supermarkets?

The sales increases show how one drinks trend can generate demand across several supermarket categories. The opportunity extends beyond beer and spirits to sauces, juices, herbs, seasonings and premium salts.

For the UK FMCG sector, savoury cocktails provide an example of how social and hospitality trends can influence product discovery and encourage shoppers to use familiar cooking ingredients in new ways.

This can also create cross-merchandising opportunities. Supermarkets can place cocktail recipes or serving suggestions alongside spirits, beer and mixers while directing customers towards the sauces, citrus juices and seasonings required to make the drinks.

The trend may be particularly useful during the summer entertaining period, when retailers compete for spending on drinks, snacks and barbecue products. A cocktail-led display can bring together branded products and supermarket own-label ingredients within the same shopping occasion.

For suppliers, the shift offers a route to promote products outside their usual uses. Hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, for example, can be positioned as both cooking ingredients and components of at-home drinks.

Waitrose operates more than 320 shops and an online grocery business as part of the John Lewis Partnership. Its latest figures suggest spicy and savoury flavours could remain an important part of supermarket drinks merchandising during the 2026 summer season.