Hugo Spritz Gains Ground on Aperol Spritz in US and UK Markets

The Hugo Spritz, a cocktail made with prosecco, elderflower liqueur, sparkling water, mint and lemon, is challenging the long‑standing dominance of the Aperol Spritz in the United States and United Kingdom. Sales of St‑Germain elderflower liqueur, the key ingredient in the Hugo, rose 40 % over the past three months, while demand for Campari’s Aperol fell 4 % in the same period. Although Aperol still outsells Hugo – 8.8 million cases versus 435 000 cases of St‑Germain – the newer drink, created by South‑Tyrolean bartender Roland Gruber in the early 2000s, is seeing rapid adoption aided by a large social‑media and celebrity‑marketing push. The shift reflects a broader trend toward lighter, floral aperitivo cocktails in Western markets.