How to calculate volume in liters?

If you are a beverage brand, it is essential to track a concrete indicator: literage. This indicator simply corresponds to the volume sold, generally expressed in liters, in a given point of sale or network.

Unlike the number of units sold, literage allows a more precise and comparable view of your activity, especially in the On-Trade (CHR) sector where packaging varies greatly (bottles, kegs, cans, glass service, etc.).

Why track literage in the On-Trade sector?

Estimate the potential of a point of sale

Literage makes it possible to estimate the market size of an establishment. It helps you quickly differentiate a high-volume bar from a more confidential establishment. This allows you to prioritize your visits, investments, and negotiations.

Track a client's evolution

By comparing the literage before / after a listing or a commercial operation (for example, a product launch), you concretely measure the field performance of your brand. This will help you identify whether your brand is progressing in volume or stalling. It is a good complement to order volume.

Facilitate comparisons

With different formats and packaging, literage allows you to bring all volumes to a single unit and better analyze performances between products, brands, or clients.

Speak the language of On-Trade operators

On-Trade professionals think in liters, kegs, or glasses. Aligning yourself with this reference framework facilitates dialogue, negotiation, and the credibility of your teams.

Methods for calculating literage

Here are 4 practical methods adapted to your formats and objectives.

From bottles sold

You simply need to record the number of bottles sold per format and then convert each format into liters.

Conversion examples:

• 75 cl = 0.75 L

• 33 cl = 0.33 L

• 25 cl = 0.25 L

You then multiply the number of bottles by their equivalent in liters, and add up all the volumes.

For example:

• 40 bottles of 75 cl = 40 × 0.75 = 30 L

• 60 bottles of 33 cl = 60 × 0.33 ≈ 19.8 L

• ➡ Total literage = 49.8 L

From glasses served

This method is ideal for drinks sold by the glass (cocktails, soft drinks, wines, draft beers).

You simply need to:

1. Estimate the average volume per glass. For example, a glass of wine corresponds to 12 cl, a beer corresponds to 25 cl or 50 cl, a soft drink to 20 cl.

2. Multiply the volume by the number of glasses served.

For example, 120 glasses of wine at 12 cl = 120 × 0.12 = 14.4 L of literage.

Calculate potential literage with glasses served

This method is particularly useful during the prospecting phase, when the point of sale is not yet a client but shares information about its activity (volumes served, menu, footfall...). It allows you to forecast a potential literage if your brand were listed there.

The objective is simple: estimate the volume your drink could generate, based on its presence in cocktails, soft drinks, or draft beverages.

To do this, use the data shared by the establishment and the composition of the menu to anticipate the volume of your drink in a future listing. For example, if the bartender informs you that they sell 200 Moscow Mules a week, and you sell ginger beer, you can estimate the literage as follows:

200 x 0.12 (quantity per cocktail) = 24

➡ Literage = 24 L / week

➡ Over 1 month ≈ 96 L / month of potential for your ginger beer in the establishment

From kegs and taps

The literage per tap is a simple and effective method to quickly estimate the volumes of draft beer served in an On-Trade establishment. It relies on two essential parameters:

1. The capacity of the keg used (30 L, 50 L, etc.)

2. The rotation: number of kegs consumed per tap, per week or per month

To calculate the literage, use the following formula:

Let's look at some concrete calculation examples:

• Neighborhood bar (low rotation): 1 keg of 30 L per tap / week → ≈ 120 L per month / tap.

• Lively pub (high rotation): 3 kegs of 50 L per tap / week → ≈ 600 L per month / tap.

• Restaurant with low draft beer flow: 1 keg of 30 L per month / tap → ≈ 30 L per month / tap.

To help your sales reps quickly assess the potential of a point of sale, you can establish an indicative scale according to the observed flow:

• 1 tap = < 50 L / month → low flow (classic restaurant).

• 1 tap = 100 to 150 L / month → medium flow.

• 1 tap = 300 to 600 L / month → high flow (festive bar, pub).

Calculate potential literage with beer taps

During a meeting with a prospect, one of the best ways to estimate their commercial potential is to observe their draft dispensing equipment.

The taps are indeed a reliable indicator of the potential volume your brand could reach if it were listed.

By identifying the number of taps and their rotation, you can quickly estimate the volume opportunity of an establishment, and prioritize your sales actions accordingly.

Take the example of a bar where each tap is dedicated to a beer brand, located in Lille. We estimate an average rotation of 1 keg of 30 L per tap and per week.

30 L x 4 = 120 L per month for each beer brand.

From cases sold

This calculation method is more ideal for non-pressurized beverages (juices, teas, waters, sodas, wine...).

To do this, simply total the liters contained in each case, and multiply them by the number of cases sold.

For example, if you sell cases of 6 bottles of 75 cl, you have 4.5 L per case. If you sold 10 cases in an establishment last month, you have a literage of 45 liters.

Tracking literage over time

The global literage is not just a product-by-product record, but a performance tracking indicator at the level of an establishment, a region, or a period.

Calculate literage by period

👉 This gives an average volume sold per week, per month, or per quarter.

Example:

January: 1,200 L of beer sold

➡ Monthly literage = 1,200 L / month

➡ Weekly literage ≈ 300 L / week

Calculate literage in relation to turnover

👉 Allows you to compare the value generated per liter between different beverages.

Example:

1,200 L of beer sold for €6,000 of turnover

➡ Average price per liter = 6,000 ÷ 1,200 = €5/L

This shows whether a premium reference generates more value than an entry-level one, beyond volumes.

Calculate literage by number of clients (or covers)

👉 Serves to measure the penetration of beverages in the client experience.

Example:

Restaurant: 800 covers over the month

Soft drinks literage = 400 L

➡ Average consumption = 400 ÷ 800 = 0.5 L / client

This helps identify:

• if the drink is well integrated into the meal,

• or if the potential is under-exploited (e.g. upsell possible).

The data to collect to calculate literage

To effectively track your On-Trade literage, you must rely on field records made by your sales reps. This involves structuring an adapted record sheet, which allows you to convert the gathered information into volume (liters).

Here is the essential information to collect per product:

1. Brand / Reference

2. Type of container (keg, bottle, can, etc.)

3. Unit capacity (in cl or L)

4. Number of units present, sold, or ordered (depending on the indicator tracked: ND, sell-in, sell-out…)

If you are a beer brand, you can also record the number of taps present.

Let's take two examples:

• Beer brand

• Format: Stainless steel keg

• Capacity: 30 L

• Kegs sold over the period: 3

➡ Literage sold = 3 × 30 L = 90 L

• Soda brand

• Format: Aluminum can

• Capacity: 33 cl (0.33 L)

• Cans sold: 120

➡ Literage sold = 120 × 0.33 = 39.6 L

Other elements to record in the field

Beyond the product, certain contextual pieces of information are key to estimating potential or comparing establishments:

• Type of establishment: bar, brasserie, restaurant, hotel…

• Equipment: number of taps, fridges, fountains, machines…

• Product offering: cocktails offered, presence of soft drinks, number of beer references…

• Estimated footfall: low, medium, or high (small bar, high volume, etc.)

• Standard consumption assumptions: 1 tap = 120 L / month, 1 cocktail = 0.10 L of soft drink, 1 keg = 30 or 50 L… By structuring this data in your CRM or your field reports, you will be able to reliably track literage, compare points of sale with each other, and identify the best business opportunities.