12 minute read
RAISE YOUR CAN
6
Raise Your Can!
Raise Your Can!
RTDs explode on the market
by Debbie Hall
The pandemic might have created the demand, but Readyto-Drink (RTD) cocktails, spirits, and wine have found favor with consumers and is now one of the fastest-growing segments in the beverage industry. According to Brandessence Market Research and Consulting Private Limited, global demand for RTDs is expected to reach $1,620 million by 2027. As a result, consumers are shifting towards small packaging formats and ready-made drinks.
The RTD category in the PR%F Awards has shown this explosion with the number of entries over the years. The addition of RTD products, expanding product lines, and RTD startups showcase are more than a trend.
Yes Way, RosÉ yeswayrose.com
Yes Way Rosé
Yes Way Rosé (yeswayrose.com) brings French rosé wine, sparkling French rosé wine, and flavored (Peach + Ginger Spritz and Pink Lemonade Spritz) rose wines in a can. Founders Erica Blumenthal and Nikki Huganir initially fell in love with French rosé wine, so they started a Rose Instagram account (loaded with hues of pink) to share their passion which naturally led transitioning into a successful wine company.
When they decided to launch the wine, Blumenthal and Huganir already had built a loyal following around their beloved brand established themselves as rosé experts. Determined to learn more and grow the brand further, they traveled to France to different vineyards to educate themselves and learn about the process of making their own wine. “We ultimately had interest from big retailers to make the wine and met our importing partner first, Prestige Beverage Group. Their connections in France led to us meeting our current winemaking team,” explains the founders.
What makes the spritzes uniquely Yes Way Rosé is the dry, classic French rosé base accentuated with a touch of sparkle and vibrant yet equally classic natural flavors with low alcohol, sugar, and calories. The Pink Lemonade is an/featured as an effervescent rosé with a zesty freshly squeezed lemon twist. The Peach + Ginger is similarly effervescent with a juicy peach flavor and a subtle hint of ginger on the finish.
“The explosion of non-alcoholic canned sparkling beverages and soda streams definitely paved the way for canned seltzers. Both have the same refreshing quality achieved from cracking open a beer but with the added bonuses of less sugar, fewer calories, and a lower alcohol content. It also offers a way to have a single drink without opening an entire bottle of wine, and they’re really perfect for throwing in a cooler and enjoying at a picnic, pool party, rooftop soiree, or barbecue,” explains the founders.
“It’s a crowded market the way rosé is, and so a product needs to stand out as unique, quality and taste incredible. We’re excited to continue innovating in the space in that way. We don’t look at what everyone else is doing and focus on what we believe is the best way to expand and what our customers will enjoy the most.”
Two Chicks Cocktails
Two Chicks Cocktails (twochickscocktails.com) is an emerging ready to drink cocktail brand that was founded in 2019 by Meghan Hanna and Linda Cash. The women founded, owned, and run brand produces sparkling canned cocktails that are made with real premium spirits (tequila, vodka, whiskey, and gin), fruit, and botanicals. Two Chicks is currently available in 40 states across the US, and often showcased at festivals, concerts, and events. According to Nielsen Report (March 27), the brand has grown over 500 percent. In addition, the brand recently launched two new cocktails, vodka-based Lemon Strawberry Kiss and Cranberry Tartini. The product line now features eight gluten-free, vegan-friendly RTD cocktails that have 5 percent alcohol,
“We created these cocktails with the consumer in mind. We wanted to provide a hassle-free solution to the frustration and mess that can come from trying to master a cocktail recipe at
consumer’s desire for refreshing cocktails that require minimal effort and offer better nutritional value.
“The RTD market will continue to expand with people looking for quality ingredients, convenience, and taste with their cocktails,” says Safford. “Our Margarita, Vodka Soda and Gimlet cocktails fit this profile in addition to featuring low sugar and carbs that appeal to today’s seltzer consumers.”
TWO CHICKS COCKTAILS TWOCHICKSCOCKTAILS.COM home and making sure you have all the right ingredients. The end products are our personal and modern twist on some of the most beloved classic cocktails. Taking it one step further, we designed the cocktails with real premium spirits, all-natural fruit, and botanicals,” explains Hanna.
“RTDs provide the convenience of a great-tasting cocktail that you can enjoy by a pull of a tab. Ready-to-drink cocktails provide instant satisfaction versus the guesswork and mess when it comes to making great-tasting cocktails. We anticipate that the RTD category will continue to explode. We hear this will be over an $8 billion industry, with premium spirit RTDs surpassing malt. We are happy that Two Chicks Cocktails is in the right place at the right time,” says Cash.
Joia Spirit
Joia Spirit (joiaspirit.com) grew from Joia Sparkling non-alcoholic drinks, an award-winning, all-natural fruit, herb, and spice craft sodas formulated by mixologist Dan Oskey (Tattersall Distilling, Minneapolis). Joia Sparkling became a go-to mixer and the product evolved into Joia Spirit craft cocktails as real spirits were added to the fresh ingredient craft sodas flavors. The cocktails provide a modern twist on timeless, classic recipes like the Cosmopolitan, Moscow Mule, and Greyhound, all of which are naturally gluten-free and vegan.
“The sparkling beverage market is challenging, and we were distributing our non-alcoholic product to 25 states,” explains Joia Spirit Founder Bob Safford. “We took advantage of an opportunity we saw for canned cocktails and expanded the Joia line with canned craft cocktails, but with a sparkling twist. In 2018 the Joia Spirit brand was acquired by Prestige Beverage Group, and they have been a great partner for the growing success of the brand.”
According to Safford, cocktails are enjoying a resurgence in popularity especially in the seltzer RTD, as a result of a
Joia Spirit joiaspirit.com “What I believe really makes Joia Spirit resonates with consumers is taste. We’ve worked tirelessly to give consumers a true cocktail in the convenience of a can using simple, real ingredients. You don’t have to have a fully stocked bar to enjoy the complex flavors and aromas found in our cocktails. As this category continues to grow and evolve, we are constantly looking at how to bring new flavors into the hands of our fans, staying true to creating well-loved cocktail varieties with a twist, and remaining transparent about the ingredients we’re putting into each creation,” says Jeannie Farley, Brand Manager for Joia Spirit at Prestige Beverage Group.
The Whiskey Roller
Based in London, The Whiskey Roller (hahcws.com/product/ the-whiskey-roller-hard-seltzer), produced by Heroes & Heretics, is a whiskey-based hard seltzer flavored with nutmeg, hibiscus, and bay leaf low in calories.
“We wanted to enter the RTD market with our refreshing whiskey-based drink for people who don’t like whiskey,” says Founder and CEO Craig Chidgey.
The RTD market continues to flourish with new products and fan favorites as everyone raises their can of spirit goodness.
THE WHISKEY ROLLER HAHCWS.COM/PRODUCT/THE-WHISKEY-ROLLER-HARD-SELTZER
The Wisconsin-based brand stems from the vision of husband-and-wife duo Nate and Danielle Goss who were overjoyed when they found out they were expecting their first child in the Spring of 2019. As a couple who took pleasure in socializing over cocktails, they began seeking non-alcoholic options for Danielle. In the process, they quickly realized that booze-free cocktails and ready to drink mocktails were hard to find or non-existent in stores, bars and restaurants. After doing an in-depth market analysis, conducting focus groups and consulting beverage industry experts; they found the demand for 100% booze-free options extended well beyond pregnant women. With the support of close family and friends they began formulating beverages for the KUL MOCKS brand just months before coming a family of 3.
One of the first to market of its kind in the emerging no and low alcohol category, KUL MOCKS launched its craft mocktails in July of 2020. Creating KUL MOCKS wasn’t just about the beverages, it was about creating the experience of drinking a cocktail, minus the alcohol. Hand-crafted with simple ingredients and natural flavors, KUL MOCKS ready-to-drink alcohol free cocktails are flavorful and fun! Each ready-to-drink mocktail comes in the trendy 12 ounce sleek can and is infused with spirit notes that mimic the classic cocktail experience. Traditional mocktails are loaded with sugar; not KUL MOCKS! KUL MOCKS blends just a touch of real cane sugar with natural sweeteners stevia and monk fruit making them 50 calories or less without sacrificing any taste. Uniquely created with health and wellness in mind, KUL MOCKS are gluten free, non-GMO, caffeine free, contain NOTHING artificial and are 0.00% ABV.
The award-winning lineup comes in 3 delicious flavors: • Strawberry Mock-arita • Mock Mule • Blackberry Mock-jito
Perfect for weekends on the lake, tailgates, hanging with friends and family or spending time relaxing at home, KUL MOCKS is rapidly growing its distribution across the US and positioning itself as the leading ready-to-drink craft mocktail to enjoy when looking to socialize without sacrifice.
Danielle Goss CEO | Founder
All KUL MOCKS non-alcoholic craft cocktails received high scoring awards at the 2020 PR%F Awards in December. They were also recognized for their uniqueness as a Women-Owned Business! The KUL MOCKS team is excited to be entered in PR%F Awards again this Fall for the 2021 competitions.
H How to serve Well, that’s easy! Serve up KUL MOCKS straight from the can or feel free to fancy it up and serve over ice in something fun like a copper mug or a margarita glass. You do it your way – there are no rules!
All the experience, without the alcohol Consumers are continuing to focus on health and wellness and being conscious of alcohol intake is absolutely extension of that. The KUL MOCKS brand has attracted mindful drinkers, people cutting back on booze, expectant mothers, as well as people who can’t or prefer not to drink alcohol. Taking the night off? Planning to be the designated driver? Big meeting in the AM? Got responsibilities? Want to socialize without the effects of alcohol? Whatever the occasion, there’s a MOCK for that! KUL MOCKS - the breakthrough line of non-alcoholic craft cocktails helping everyone feel a part of the social drinking experience.
W Want to sell KUL MOCKS? Distribution and retail inquiries please contact info@kulmocks.com.
Want to learn more? Visit www.kulmocks.com and follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook @kulmocks.
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