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For readers who may not be familiar with NIO Cocktails, can you tell us a little about the company and what you do? 

NIO Cocktails exists for one simple reason: to make it effortless for anyone to enjoy a perfectly made cocktail, anywhere. There’s very little in life that isn’t made better by a great cocktail, and NIO is here to make those moments easy, consistent and memorable. 

We create world-class cocktails that are ready to experience, not simply ready to drink. Using premium, globally recognised spirits and recipes developed by our world-class mixologist, our menu of 20+ serves delivers the same choice, quality and refinement you’d expect from the best bars in the world—without the need for a bartender or a fully equipped bar. All you need is ice and a little anticipation; the experience begins before you pour and builds as you continue to sip. 

What makes NIO Cocktails different from other ready-to-serve cocktail brands on the market? 

World-class cocktails, without compromise. A great cocktail delivering a beautifully balanced serve at the correct ABV that noses and taste fantastic requires exceptional spirits, high-quality ingredients, an expert mixology team and patience when designing.  

Other ready-to-drinks products ask you to compromise on one or more of those elements. Not only does NIO not seek to compromise, but we also show you everything that goes into our cocktails, whether it’s the spirits (Ketel One, St Remy XO, Bulleit Bourbon, Woven Whisky, etc.) or other ingredients, or the expertise of our mixologist. We are also forthright on what we believe the correct ABV is for each individual drink. 

Simplified delivery, not a simplified drink. Because the hotel or its guests only need ice and sixty seconds, it may look as though we have simplified the cocktail. We have not — we have simplified the delivery. That is the difference, and it is why NIO shouldn’t be thought of as a ready-to-drink cocktail – we are the ready-to-experience cocktail moment. 

What brings NIO Cocktails to the Independent Hotel Show this year? 

Independent hotels are some of the most interesting operators in hospitality — they’re closest to their guests and are not only open to considering innovative solutions but proactive in finding them. The Independent Hotel Show is where that appetite for innovation lives, so it’s exactly where we want to be. 

We’re here to show hoteliers three things. First, a proper cocktail programme doesn’t require hiring, training and rostering a mixologist around the clock. Second, NIO is ideal for the in-room minibar — but even better placed on the coffee table, where it can be seen and enjoyed rather than hidden away in the fridge. Finally, NIO can enhance the entire guest experience: as a welcome drink on arrival, an in-room treat whenever the moment strikes, a poolside serve, part of a picnic package, or a holiday memento to enjoy at home. NIO is more than a drink; it is part of the experience. 

What are you hoping visitors will discover when they stop by your stand? 

First, that it genuinely tastes as fantastic as we say it does — nothing beats trying it for yourself and the surprise and delight always puts a smile on our face and reflects the incredible work of our team. 

Beyond the glass, we want visitors to see how far the format stretches: the same serve that works behind a bar also works on a minibar tray, at a poolside cabana, or on a room-service menu, with no training and no waste. We want people to leave thinking less about whether to add cocktails, and more about where they haven’t added them yet. 

Are you showcasing any new products, services or hospitality solutions at this year’s event? 

Yes — alongside our core range, we’ll be showing our hospitality formats built specifically for HORECA use, including our back-of-bar bottle, as well as some new, limited edition winter cocktails. We’re also talking through bespoke and co-branded options for hotel groups who want a signature serve that’s recognisably theirs. 

What conversations are you most looking forward to having with independent hoteliers at the show? 

The best conversations are always about the guest experience gaps hoteliers are quietly trying to solve — an understaffed bar on a quiet Tuesday, a minibar nobody’s refreshed with anything interesting in years, an events team wanting a drinks list to be proud of but that doesn’t require new kit or new hires. We like working backwards from a specific problem to a specific serve.  

That said, we’re never one to shy away from sharing ideas with hotels for how we can support hotels and their guests’ experiences, that we’ve picked up along the way. 

What are the biggest challenges you see independent hotels facing when it comes to food and beverage? 

Staffing, consistency and waste, in that order. Finding and keeping a skilled bartender is hard and expensive, and even the best ones have off nights or nights off that need covering, whether that’s for planned holiday or unplanned leave. That inconsistency is a real risk when a guest’s one cocktail memory of your hotel might be the only one they take home, or the heightened expectation from their first drink isn’t delivered consistently thereafter. 

Then there’s the practical cost of running a full bar setup part or full time — the stock, the spoilage, the space, the people — against demand that can be genuinely unpredictable. 

Where do you see the biggest opportunity for hotels to incorporate premium cocktails – guest rooms, bars, spas, events or elsewhere? 

The biggest opportunity is wherever the guest currently isn’t being offered one. Bars may be the answer for some hotels. For others, it may be in-room; not much can beat a perfectly made Negroni waiting on the welcome tray when checking in to your room or having a phenomenal cocktail literally at your fingertips to enjoy in-room, at any time. 

It could be as part of a picnic package for a day trip, where lunch or dinner is made complete with a delicious cocktail and where there is no concern over breakage. 

Of course there are opportunities for spas, poolside and private events, however we also receive tremendous feedback from hoteliers who include our cocktails in their gift shops, offering something unique for their quests to take home with them; a memento of their holiday to enjoy whenever the opportunity appears. 

Guest expectations continue to evolve. What trends are you seeing in the hospitality sector, and how is NIO responding to them? 

Guests want to feel that they’re getting something considered and premium, but they also want it quickly and without friction — convenience and quality used to feel like a trade-off, however increasingly, guests expect both. This is what NIO delivers - Convenience and Quality Without Compromise, every cocktail, every serve, anytime, anywhere. 

What’s next for NIO Cocktails, and are there any exciting plans or innovations on the horizon? 

Some hotels have been asking for NIO to be bottled in beautiful glass for their backbars for some time, so we’re incredibly excited about our new glass and environmentally considerate refill pouches proposal.  

We continue to innovate our menu, and the ingredients we use. If we see an emerging trend, or have a custom request from a hotel, we move very quickly but without rushing the design, mixing and tasting process. And an increasing number of the ingredients we use in our cocktails are now made in-house, allowing us to adjust every nose, mouth feel and taste component to our liking and to best-fit our cocktails. 

So, expect new cocktails, new collaborations, and more ways for our hospitality partners to make NIO feel like their own signature serve. 

Finally, if you could leave Independent Hotel Show visitors with one message about NIO Cocktails, what would it be? 

There are very few moments in life that aren’t made better by a fantastic cocktail. NIO is here to help you serve those moments brilliantly and easily for your guests.

Meet NIO Coctails on stand 2220 at this year's Independent Hotel Show London, taking place 5-6 October 2026 at Olympia. Meet them at the show by signing up to our newsletter to be the first to hear when we open for registration!