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Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
No Pimm's please, we're sober! Wimbledon mixes up mocktails amid soaring demand for non-alcoholic beverages
Wimbledon just wouldn't be Wimbledon without strawberries, cream, and Pimm's, with fans sipping on nearly 300,000 glasses of the signature drink at the tennis grand slam every year. But, as Gen Z tennis fans and health-conscious spectators flock to the lawn this year, demand for a non-alcoholic Pimm's alternative has risen. While a huge number of brands have released non-alcoholic versions of popular liquors in recent years to meet the rising number of sober-curious consumers, the quintessential British beverage, which is often paired with lemonade and fruit, has not followed suit. To satisfy thirsty guests, Wimbledon has created a mocktail that emulates the classic fruity cocktail without alcohol - although the club's own food and drink expert admits the booze-free alternative isn't quite there yet. The Times reports Charlie Cook, the business director of food and drink at Wimbledon, said: 'We look at market trends. Within our business we employ a food and drink futurist to look at where those trends are going. 'The younger generations are looking for lower or non-alcoholic offerings.' In the club's efforts to create a Pimm's-inspired mocktail, Cook added: 'We've tried a version using balsamic, which has a quite similar flavour profile, but we haven't really cracked that one yet. It would be a good one though.' It comes as bar staff at Wimbledon said they have noticed an uptick in the number of customers asking for non-alcoholic beverages while enjoying the tennis. At the official Pimm's stall on Henman Hill/Murray Mound, one barmaid revealed that around one in 50 customers ask whether a non-alcoholic version of Pimm's is available. She added that she had noticed people asking for the same thing when she worked at the stall last year. Destiny Olusegun, a 22-year-old bar manager, said he also noticed the growing demand for alcohol-free drinks ever since he began working at Wimbledon three years ago. He reflected on how people are becoming 'more conscious' of what and how they drink, and that there is a shift away from all-day boozing. Drinking constantly while spending all day at Wimbledon is no longer desirable, he added, but people still want the option of being able to have a cold drink while socialising so a non-alcoholic Pimm's could help do the trick. The demand for drink options that don't induce drunkenness has risen exponentially in recent years, fuelled by Gen Z's changing taste compared to previous generations. Alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware conducted a study last year that revealed 21% of 18-to-24-year-olds do not drink at all, a significant jump from 14% in 2017. A recent study by researchers at Oxford University found that Gen Z is embracing the non-alcoholic drinks movement in an act of rebellion, even deeming the choice as 'cool'. Interest in health and wellness is also part of the move towards non-alcoholic drinks, with some Gen Z-ers opting out of boozing for health reasons. Wimbledon already offers a range of alcohol-free beverages, such as booze-free aperitif Everleaf, no-alcohol spirit Freeglider, and 0% ABV Wild Idol wine. Stella Artois has also launched its 0.0 beer on draught at the tournament this year, before rolling it out to the rest of the UK. According to The Times, the alcohol-free beer has been so popular that a barman at Wimbledon's Perfect Serve bar said they sold nearly 200 pints on one day. As for mocktails, the club offers a non-boozy spritz made with alcohol-free gin, sugar syrup and pink grapefruit soda - which sets customers back by £12.60 - and a 0% paloma that uses a non-alcoholic bergamot aperitif, costing £10.40. But the question of whether the iconic Pimm's will produce a non-alcoholic version remains. A spokeswoman for the brand said that Diageo, the alcohol giant that owns Pimm's, is 'always working' on new ideas, adding that customers will be the first to know if a new product is on the way. The 185-year-old drink comprises of gin, caramelised orange and a closely guarded secret blend of herbal botanicals and spices. On its own, Pimm's has an alcohol content of 25% ABV. But once it's mixed with lemonade, which is the traditional way to serve this summertime staple drink, the alcohol content is lowered drastically to around 6% ABV, slightly higher than an average beer. Pimm's was created by London oyster bar owner James Pimm in 1832 as a tonic to aid digestion and thus, Pimm's No. 1 Cup was born. The brand was founded in 1840 but only began large-scale production in 1851 in order to keep up with sales to other bars. It's not just a staple at Wimbledon - Pimm's is also a must-have at the Chelsea Flower Show and the Henley Royal Regatta. Throughout the summer, Pimm's is a highly popular choice in pubs and bars, as well as at home, where drinkers can add as much fruit as they want, like strawberries, cucumber, oranges, lemons, apples, as well as mint.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Wimbledon serves up Pimm's-inspired mocktail for alcohol-free tennis fans
For 54 years, Pimm's has been as much a part of the Wimbledon experience as strawberries and cream, with 300,000 glasses sold each fortnight. And now Wimbledon has experimented with creating a mocktail in the style of the beloved fruity punch owing to the growing demand for alcohol-free options at the championships. The club has introduced Stella Artois' booze-free beer on draught and mocktails made from non-alcoholic sparkling wines and spirits amid the move towards sobriety among gen Z. Charlie Cook, the business director of food and drink at Wimbledon, said: 'We look at market trends. Within our business we employ a food and drink futurist to look at where those trends are going. The younger generations are looking for lower or non-alcoholic offerings.' Staff at SW19 said there had been demand for Stella's 0.0 offering and an uptick in customers asking for an alcohol-free version of Pimm's. Cook said the club had yet to perfect a mocktail to fill the gap. 'We've tried a version using balsamic, which has a quite similar flavour profile, but we haven't really cracked that one yet. It would be a good one though,' he said. Wimbledon later stressed it was not attempting to create a booze-free Pimm's but a drink inspired by the popular beverage. Destiny Olusegun, 22, a bar manager at the grounds, said spectators were keen to try an alcohol-free version of the summer cocktail that has long been synonymous with the championships. 'Quite a few people come up and ask for non-alcoholic Pimm's,' he said. 'A lot of people aren't from here [the UK], so Pimm's is like a massive Wimbledon phenomenon. If everyone else is having a Pimm's or a beer, you don't want to have a soft drink. You want a nice drink.' A staff member at the Pimm's stall on the Hill had had a similar experience. 'People do ask quite a lot, especially if they are pregnant, what sort of non-alcoholic versions we have. I worked here last year and people were asking the same thing,' she said. 'I'd say around one in 50 people ask if there's a non-alcoholic version of Pimm's. Some people will also ask if we can do half pints as well, older people in particular. But young people ask as well – especially pregnant women.' Wimbledon has been offering a mocktail spritz which includes non-alcoholic gin, sugar syrup and pink grapefruit soda for £12.60 and a 0% paloma made from a booze-free bergamot aperitif for £10.40. Olusegun said demand for non-alcoholic drinks had grown in his three years at Wimbledon and suggested they were most popular among those aged 25 to 50. 'People are shifting away from alcohol,' he said. 'People are more conscious of what they're drinking, how they're drinking, – especially if you're going to be here all day. You don't want to be drinking 20 pints, but you may still like a drink and be able to engage in the same social culture, be able to cheers your beer, have something cold. 'Having a non-alcoholic Pimm's option, even if it was just in a can, would still give people that feeling of being included.'
Telegraph
10-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Wimbledon experts explore mocktail ideas for booze-free Gen Z
For many tennis fans, it is as much a part of the Wimbledon experience as strawberries and cream, with around 300,000 glasses sold during the tournament each year. But now specialists at the Championships have been attempting to create a mocktail in the style of Pimm's – with previous attempts using balsamic vinegar – to cater for Generation Z attendees. Charlie Cook, business director for food and drink at Wimbledon, said: 'We [look] at market trends, within our business we employ a food and drink futurist to look at where those trends are going. 'The younger generations are looking for lower or non-alcoholic offerings.' When asked if his team had attempted to create a sober alternative to the iconic cocktail, he revealed: 'We've tried a version using balsamic, which has a quite similar flavour profile, but we haven't really cracked that one yet. It would be a good one, though.' A spokesman later stressed staff were not attempting to create a booze-free Pimm's – but a drink inspired by the popular beverage. However, Stella 0.0, an alcohol-free beer, has been sold at the Championships on draught for the first time, before it is launched across the rest of the UK. Last year, a study by charity Drinkaware found that 21 per cent of 18-to-24-year-olds do not drink at all, up from 14 per cent in 2017. On Thursday, shortly before lunchtime on Henman Hill, a winding queue had already formed at the Pimm's bar, where glasses of 'Pimm's No.1 summer cup' were priced at £12.25 each. Pausing briefly from pulling taps, a bar worker told The Telegraph: 'I'd say around one in 50 people ask if there's a non-alcoholic version of Pimm's... I definitely think it would be something we could sell.' Tennis fan Lucy Church had travelled to the Championships from Glasgow with friend Lisa Rowe. Both are 28 and part of Gen Z. Ms Rowe said two of her friends had already given up drinking, while Ms Church said she believed a non-alcoholic Pimm's-style cocktail would be popular. 'So many more people aren't drinking these days,' she said. 'Especially if you get here early, you might not want to be drinking all day.' Meanwhile, Grace Thomas, from Essex, said she would certainly opt for a non-alcoholic version of the drink. The 28-year-old, who came with her friend Georgia McCarthy, 33, said: 'We both work in events and it's quite a hectic job, so it's quite nice to be able to control the amount of alcohol you're having and not go crazy.' Jenny Sherwood, 62, said: 'I'd definitely prefer a non-alcoholic Pimm's. It's going to take me two hours to get home on the train, I don't need to be falling asleep.' However, not everyone was keen. While Angela Graves, 51, said the idea was 'really good', her son Sam Busby, 28, disagreed. He said: 'I wouldn't be interested. If I'm going to pay for a drink then I want to have a proper drink – otherwise I would just have an orange juice or a lemonade.'
