Millennials continue to be most loyal customer group for restaurants and coffee shops but percentage falls, more prepared to share personal information: Millennials continue to be the most loyal customer group for restaurants and coffee shops, although the percentage has fallen, new research has shown. The findings by marketing and loyalty analytics company Aimia, which has monitored consumer attitudes quarterly since 2013, revealed over half (52%) of 18 to 24-year-olds said they are loyal to restaurants and food and drink establishments. That is down from 62% in December. The percentage of 45 to 54-year-olds who said they were loyal remained at 39%. The research also found the percentage of 18 to 24-year-olds who are members of a restaurant or coffee shop loyalty scheme fell from 31% in December to 26%. That compares with 16% of 45 to 54-year-olds, with the figure up 1% from December. The research showed millennials are also the most likely age group (18%) to plan increased spending on eating out in 2016 compared with the previous year. Only a quarter (26%) of 18 to 24-year-olds opt to entertain at home instead of going out. More than half of millennials (51%) said they would share personal information so that companies could send them relevant offers and discounts – up from 48% in the last quarter. Subway was the most popular loyalty scheme among millennials at 58% – up 10% from December – with Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee at 54% (59% in December), Nando’s 46% (49% in December), Caffe Nero 35%, and Starbucks 46%. Jan-Pieter Lips, president, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Aimia, said: “Millennials are a key market segment for restaurants. Our research shows they are willing to share their information with restaurants in return for offers and rewards, which are tailored to their preferences and habits. This will strengthen restaurants’ long-term relationships with millennials, enabling brands to benefit from this captive audience. At the same time, our data shows the opportunity for restaurants to engage with older generations is as yet under-utilised.”

BrewDog and Social Bite launch craft beer to fund clean water projects: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has teamed up with fellow Scots entrepreneurs Social Bite to launch the world’s first clean water craft label – Brewgooder. All profits from sales of its Clean Water Lager will be donated to charity projects, with the purpose of supplying clean drinking water to one million people in the first five years. The label has tie-ins with Oxfam, WaterAid and MercyCorps. Clean Water Lager is being launched on World Water Day today (Tuesday, 22 March), with a campaign to fund the production of the first 200,000 cans on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. It is also available on tap in BrewDog’s UK bars. Brewgooder is the brainchild of Alan Mahon and Josh Littlejohn, founders of the Social Bite sandwich shop chain. Mahon said: “We’re offering beer drinkers the chance to help others by doing what they love most – drinking good beer.” Littlejohn added: “There is a lovely symmetry of drinking good beer and giving clean water. We are excited about teaming up with a business of BrewDog’s scale to make a significant impact.” Brewgooder will offer perks to “founder members” who support the crowdfund on Indiegogo. The Brewgooder team plans to introduce a number of additional perks throughout the campaign in the UK, US and Australia.