Shanghai-based Peddlers Gin Co. launched Salted Plum Gin as its take on traditional sloe gin, based on the botanical profile of Suan Mei Tang, a salted plum juice from Northern China. Building on its award-winning Shanghai Gin base, Peddlers infuses it with salted plum, mulberry, orange peel and osmanthus, and ages the spirit in sherry barrels for a dry finish.
Peddlers Gin Co.'s Salted Plum Summer campaign highlights serves made with its Salted Plum Gin, like Salted Plum Spritzes and Peddlers Plum Highballs. “We’re seeing people drink differently in Shanghai,” said Rio Liu, chief commercial officer of Peddlers Gin. “Less about strong cocktails, more refreshing, easy, and repeatable. Salted Plum fits how people want to drink in the summer.”
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Regional Flavor Revival
- Blending indigenous tastes like salted plum and osmanthus into classic spirits presents opportunities for novel, place-based product lines that resonate with local heritage.
- Low-abv Refreshers
- A consumer shift toward lighter, repeatable summer serves is creating room for lower-alcohol cocktails and ready-to-drink formats that prioritize refreshment over potency.
- Barrel-aged Hybrid Spirits
- Combining barrel aging with unconventional botanicals yields hybrid expressions that bridge craft spirits and cocktail-ready convenience, opening paths for premium differentiation.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Spirits and Beverage
- Innovations in flavor infusion and maturation techniques are enabling producers to create distinctive SKUs that command premium pricing within crowded spirits portfolios.
- Foodservice and Hospitality
- Casual and seasonal drink programs that emphasize easy, repeatable serves are reshaping menu design and guest expectations around beverage experiences.
- Retail and E-commerce Alcohol
- Curated online assortments of regionally inspired and ready-to-drink options are changing discovery and purchase patterns for urban consumers seeking novelty and convenience.
