The Aperol Spritz, a flagship product for Campari, is facing increasing competition from the Hugo Spritz, a cocktail primarily made with elderflower liqueur, mint, and lime. While Aperol's global sales grew by 1.4% last year to €785 million ($897 million), the Hugo Spritz has seen a remarkable surge in popularity, particularly in the UK and US. Bacardi, which owns St-Germain (a key elderflower liqueur used in many Hugo Spritz recipes), reported double-digit year-on-year sales growth for the brand, largely attributed to the Hugo's rise. Data from IWSR indicates that overall spritz consumption worldwide increased from less than 2.5 billion servings in 2019 to nearly 4 billion servings in 2024, showing a robust market for the category.
Evidence of the Hugo Spritz's growing traction is visible in Google search trends. In the UK, for the 13 weeks ending July 12, 2026, "Hugo Spritz" searches recorded an average indexed interest of 55.8, slightly surpassing "Aperol Spritz" at 53.9, representing an approximate 3.6% increase. This is a significant shift, considering that in 2022, Hugo generated only about 2.3% of Aperol's average indexed interest. Searches for "spritz recipe" and "Hugo Spritz" both doubled year-on-year, and "St Germain" searches increased by 20% over the same period. The spritz is now the number-one summer cocktail choice among British 18-29 year olds, with 34% selecting it, while 37% of the same age group are socialising earlier.
Despite the rise of competitors, some analysts like AlphaValue's Theodore Duval-Segard believe that "Aperol and spritz are almost inseparable," and do not foresee lookalike products posing an immediate threat. However, the market for aperitifs is also being challenged by generic, cheaper orange drinks in supermarkets, which can be 30-40% less expensive than Aperol. Campari itself has entered the flavored aperitif market with products like Sarti Rosa and is expanding its spritz portfolio with options such as Crodino (an alcoholic aperitif) and Mondoro (an elderflower aperitif). The overall trend points towards consumer preference for lower-alcohol drinks and increased daytime consumption, areas where spritzes excel.
Campari is actively working to protect Aperol's brand integrity and pricing power. This includes expanding a loyalty program that certifies approximately 2,000 venues in Italy for serving the official Aperol Spritz recipe and rolling out pre-mixed Aperol Spritz kegs for consistent and faster preparation. This strategy aims to differentiate the authentic Aperol Spritz from generic alternatives, especially as supermarket imitations accustom consumers to lower prices.
