Beer has had plenty to contend with, from changing drinking habits to cost pressures, but there are still areas of strong growth. At Waitrose, Jourdan Gabbini is seeing particularly strong performance from world lager, super-premium lager and stout, with growth across the wider category too.

As the retailer’s beer and cider buyer, Gabbini has a close view of what is happening in the category and how new products come to his attention. He also joins the judging panel for the London Beer Competition in 2027, bringing his experience as a buyer to a competition focused on the beers themselves.

Here, Gabbini discusses where he is seeing growth, how he discovers new breweries, what makes a product stand out, and why quality and consistency remain central to building customer loyalty.

Beer's had real volume pressure this year — moderation, cost-of-living, more considered drinking — while value has held up through price rises. But within that, no/low and stout have been the standout growth stories, and world/premium lager is picking up serious share. Is that split what you're seeing on Waitrose shelves too — and where's the real growth for you right now?

We are having a fantastic year, with all areas across beer seeing growth, predominantly driven by world lager, super premium lager and stout; however, all other areas are doing well. This has all been supported by the hot Summer and World Cup.

As the sole buyer across the whole beer and cider range, how do you actually find new breweries and products? Do you go looking, or does most of it come to you? What makes something stand out in that first conversation?

It's a mix of the two, in honesty; I will find some at trade events or have things presented to me. In terms of what stands out, it's when a brewery is clear on their purpose and receptive to feedback. 

Image: Jourdan Gabbini at Tap Social Movement's Brewery.

Getting listed is one hurdle, but staying listed is another. Once a product is on the shelf, what tends to separate the ones that sell through and earn a repeat order from the ones that quietly get delisted?

Activation, marketing, and awareness driving are key to ensuring customers see your product and are drawn in. 

Where do you see the biggest opportunity in beer and cider over the next couple of years – a style, a trend, a way of drinking,  and what would you say to a brewery trying to get in front of you today?

The main thing is quality. Trends come and go, but to secure customer loyalty, products need to be of a high quality and consistent. 

As a judge at the London Beer Competition, how does wearing that hat change what you look for versus your day-to-day buying lens, and does a medal actually move the needle when you're deciding what to stock?

Judging and buying have very clear distinctions, as buying decisions are made with a commercial and customer mindset, whereas judging can be completely objective based on the criteria of the given competition.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network

Also Read:
Mitch Adams: From Brewery to Bar, What Makes a Beer Work in the Real World?
Majestic’s Senior Buyer Tom Brady Joins the London Beer Competition Judging Panel
Cave Direct Beer Buyer Benjamin Selby Joins the 2027 London Beer Competition Judging Panel