The Widespread Appeal of Sangria
Sangria is the third most popular cocktail on drink menus—and it’s still growing. According to Datassential, it appears on 34 percent of cocktail menus in the U.S., increasing by more than 10 percent over the last four years.
“Sangria is just really easy to drink,” says Philip Raimondo, senior beverage development and applications manager for foodservice chains at Kerry Foodservice. “People feel it’s a lighter alternative to having a cocktail. It’s a global drink—there are so many different cultures that have their version of a sangria. It also lends itself to being very versatile.”
Save Time and Streamline Preparation
As restaurants get squeezed by ongoing labor shortages, however, it’s becoming more difficult to keep drinks on the menu that are time-intensive or require a high skill level to prepare. Datassential found that 39 percent of operators said they were understaffed in 2022 for front-of-house roles like servers and bartenders. Drink mixes like Kerry’s Island Oasis Sangria Mix help bartenders maintain efficiency while ensuring they’re serving great-tasting beverages every time.
“If I have a busy weekend where I might have a lot of sangria sales, I can batch, but during the week, when I might not be selling as many sangrias, I can make it to order,” Raimondo says. “That’s key for a lot of restaurants right now.”
Simple, Crowd-Pleasing, and Versatile
Island Oasis Sangria Mix is also versatile, accommodating red wine as well as white wine sangria. It can also serve as a base for a range of other cocktails. “Sangria is one of those drinks that’s very personalized—every concept can have their own recipe,” Raimondo says. “Island Oasis Sangria Mix isn’t super intense in flavor. It provides a neutral citrus base that allows operators to be creative on top of it and make it special.”
In the following slides, you’ll find a few examples of simple, crowd-pleasing drinks that feature Island Oasis Sangria Mix. Operators and beverage directors can add these to their menus and experiment to come up with their own creative twists.
Traditional Red Wine Sangria
A staple in Spain, traditional red wine sangria is balanced with the sweetness of Island Oasis Sangria Mix and the dry, earthy notes of red wine.
Ingredients
4 oz Island Oasis Sangria Mix
4 oz. dry red wine
Instructions
Pour over ice and serve with an orange and lime wedge. Splash of water is optional; adjust to taste.
Traditional White Wine Sangria
Create a traditional white wine sangria with this versatile mix and your favorite white wine—a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc would work best.
Ingredients
4 oz Island Oasis Sangria Mix
4 oz. dry white wine (pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc are best)
Instructions
Pour over ice and serve with an orange and lime wedge. Splash of water is optional; adjust to taste.
Sneaky Tiki
This tasty tiki drink recipe is a crowd favorite.
Ingredients
2 oz. Island Oasis Sangria Mix (RTD 1:1 with water)
1 oz. light rum
1 oz. dark rum
0.5 oz Triple Sec
1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange juice
Instructions
Shake without ice and pour over. Garnish with orange slice and pineapple wedge.
Fruit Frosé
Frosé all day! Kick up the refreshment factor by adding the fresh fruit taste of Island Oasis Peach, Strawberry, or Watermelon Mix.
Ingredients
3 oz Island Oasis Sangria
2 oz Island Oasis Peach, Strawberry, or Watermelon
1 oz rosé or white wine
1 oz vodka
Instructions
Blend with 9 ounces of ice until smooth.
For even more recipes and menu inspiration, check out the Kerry Foodservice Island Oasis website.
