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White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, Kansas City, MO, USA

Food & Beverage

• Only a few years ago, agritourism was all about the attractions, especially the fall festivals with pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and petting zoos. Since then, destination-worthy, unique, craveable, high-quality food and beverages, including alcoholic drinks, have grown important for generating attendance and revenues. This is especially true for attracting adults.
• Many food and beverage offerings have an added appeal at limited-time agritourism events as they are LTOs (limited-time offerings) only available at the event. Cider donuts at fall festivals are only one example. LTOs create FOMO, fear of missing out, and hype attendance.
• Food and beverage can be the main draw for agritourism events. Examples include food-themed festivals, such as strawberry, blueberry, watermelon, and corn festivals, where unique and craveable foods and drinks featuring those crops are offered.
• People come to festivals looking for unique food options-70% of eventgoers like experimenting and trying new flavors and food (Eventbrite).
• 76% of food festival attendees report that they prefer dishes that taste amazing, even if they aren't very photogenic (Eventbrite).
• People at festivals are willing to pay a premium price for quality food or beverages that offer a unique experience. Many farms offer signature food and drink options at a premium price, especially if they are themed based on the farm's crops featured at the festival. For example, a strawberry margarita (or mocktail) and homemade strawberry ice cream will generate good revenues and profits at a strawberry festival.
• Eight percent (8%) of Gen Z and Millennials are vegetarians, and 6% are vegans. In addition, another 11% on an unrestricted diet are flexitarians, choosing not to eat meat as often (semi-vegetarians). It is good to have food options for at least the almost one-fifth (19%) who are vegetarians and flexitarians.
• The majority of adults drink alcoholic beverages. Higher-income and college graduates have the highest percentage of drinkers, roughly 75%. This means the availability of alcoholic drinks dramatically increases the appeal of agritourism venues for these adults. Serving alcoholic beverages, even if just beer, wine, hard seltzer, and hard cider, will broaden the base of customers at your agritourism venue. It will help attract childless couples and adult groups as well as increase the appeal for adults with children.
• Alcoholic drink sales will generate good per capita sales and profits and add strong adult appeal to events. A $6 beer or hard cider generates a far higher gross margin than a soda-a $10-$12 cocktail or mocktail even more.
• Roughly one-third of the 18-54 age group abstain from alcohol. Many younger adult drinkers are health conscious and, as part of the sober curious movement, drink less and often look for NA alternatives.

There are now non-alcoholic liquors that taste like the alcoholic versions that can be used to make mocktails and many NA beers such as Athletic that can offer abstainers as well as the sober curious drink options with higher prices and profits than sodas. Another NA option is dirty sodas, which are growing in popularity, priced at $5 or $6 with a gross profit of around $4.

• At festivals, attendees often look for food and snacks they can carry around rather than sit at a picnic table.
• When it comes to entrée type foods that require you to sit down to eat them, make sure to have plenty of table seating close to the food concession. People who can't see available seating nearby will pass up buying non-walkaround foods.

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