Fever-Tree, the Drinks Association’s newest Platinum Partner, is committed to premiumising the mixer category, championing sustainability and building an inclusive drinks industry. General Manager Grant Howard shares how the brand is approaching growth and innovation across Australia and New Zealand.
Aligning purpose with partnership
For Fever-Tree, partnering with the Drinks Association is about shared goals.
“The Drinks Association's purpose, which seeks to make a positive difference to the industry, very much aligns to Fever-Tree’s purpose,” says Grant. “We are seeking to help Australians discover the wonderful world of better-tasting drinks. By partnering with the Drinks Association and its member companies, we believe we can help consumers positively engage with our industry, in part by drinking better quality mixed drinks.”
Grant adds that this moment is an exciting one for the business. “Key members of the new Fever-Tree leadership team have had a long-term association with the Drinks Association in previous roles, and with a change in leadership, we felt like now was an ideal time to engage.”
Driving category growth and inclusion
While the gin category has slowed after a pandemic-era boom, Grant says there is still plenty of opportunity. “Gin and tonic is still within the top three mixed spirit serves in ANZ and we are optimistic about the future growth prospects of Fever-Tree tonics in this market,” he explains.
Since establishing its ANZ subsidiary just two and a half years ago, Fever-Tree has expanded rapidly. “The team has done an incredibly good job of driving awareness and distribution of our premium sodas,” says Grant. “This has enabled us to take advantage of the boom in spritz-style serves. In the last 12 months, we have launched a new range of 250ml cans, which has attracted a younger shopper to consider Fever-Tree as both a mixer and a sophisticated adult soft drink.”
Beyond category growth, Fever-Tree is focused on shaping a positive industry culture. “We are a business that firmly believes in creating the conditions for an industry that is inclusive and can attract a workforce that is representative of the diverse range of consumers that we serve,” Grant notes. “The Drinks Association provides us with a platform to achieve these aims.”
Leading sustainability and local innovation
In August, Fever-Tree’s climate targets were officially validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aligning with the most ambitious 1.5°C global warming pathway.
“As a subsidiary of the global Fever-Tree business, we have established an ANZ sustainability charter, which has looked at meaningful initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint,” Grant says. “Key initiatives that we have implemented in the last 12 months include on-shoring production in Australia, moving into a Green Star warehouse and partnering with key customers to raise funds for environmentally focused NGOs.”
Fever-Tree’s local manufacturing partnership with Remedy supports these efforts. “Our manufacturing partnership with Remedy means that we are first and foremost reducing our carbon footprint,” Grant explains. “Beyond this, we can supply drinks to the industry with an enhanced level of service, which includes longer shelf life and consistent supply.”
Looking ahead, Grant sees Fever-Tree’s position at the intersection of premiumisation, moderation and longer, lighter drink trends as a unique advantage. “No other brand is so well positioned between alcohol consumption and adult sophisticated soft drinks,” he says. “We relish the opportunity to drive growth for our liquor customers and spirit partners whilst providing a unique drinks experience for our loyal consumers.”
Fever-Tree is a Platinum Partner of the Drinks Association.