Stateways

One of the well-known malt-based lines, Mike’s recently debuted The Classic Margaritas by Mike’s. Brown-Forman continues to add products to its Southern Comfort Prepared Cocktail line, with its Hurricane launched in 2009 and its Lime Cocktail rolled out in September. Southern Comfort Lime is a ready-to-go shot brand. “Development in the ready-to-go ‘shot’ arena is injecting new energy into the category,” said Brown. In addition, Brown-Forman added a new flavor – Ginger Splash – to its Jack Heaven Hill’s Burnett’s entered the spirits-based RTD segment in 2009 with Burnett’s Cocktails, made with Burnett’s Vodka. Daniel’s Country Cocktails, a malt-based RTD line, in the spring. The new flavor joins the line’s Downhome Punch, Lynchburg Lemonade, Black Jack Cola and Jack’s Sweet Tea. This past spring, Brown-Forman also introduced el Jimador New Mix into the U.S. The RTD Margarita in a can is the best-selling RTD product in Mexico and is now available in three versions in the US: the Paloma, the Margarita and the Spicy Mango Margarita. For its part, Beam Global Spirits & Wine expanded its RTD Cocktail Cube line with new flavors from Sauza Tequila and Cruzan Rum. The company added Strawberry Margarita (Sauza) and Mojito (Cruzan) flavors to the Original Margarita Cocktail Cube. Each Cube, featuring a pour spout, includes about 10 six- ounce cocktails and stays fresh for up to six week after opening. The 19.9 proof Cocktail Cubes are available in 1.75 liter packages (suggested retail price about $18). Firefly is a less well-known brand that is offering a line of various interesting spirits-based cocktails. Heaven Hill Distilleries introduced its own line, made with Burnett’s Vodka, in July of 2009. The Burnett’s Cocktails include the Cosmopolitan, the Margarita and the Mojito. Heaven Hill reports that the brand has been doing well in its first year. “In- home entertaining and flavor experimentation are incredibly popular trends today, particularly as the economy draws consumers away from the on-premise,” said Reid Hafer, senior brand manager. Perhaps more than any other beverage alcohol category, the ready-to-serve cocktail market is particularly open to packaging innovations. The Malibu Cocktail products, for example, are packaged in 1.75-liter pouches. “They are press-and-pour, very functional, and are super-portable,” said Senhouse. They also chill faster, keep the product fresh once it is opened and feature leak-proof dis- penser nozzles. In May, Daily’s launched what it is calling “the first squeezable frozen lemon cock- tail.” Its Daily’s Frozen Lemonade Pouches can go straight into the freezer, to produce a slushy, blender-like cocktail. The product can also be served unfrozen: either by squeezing the single-serve 10-ounce contents into a glass, or it can even be consumed straight from the pouch. Daily’s offers several of its other RTD products in 10-ounce pouches: Margarita, Strawberry Daiquiri, Peach Daiquiri, Frozen Mojito and Pomegranate Acai Margarita. McCormick has seen positive sales activity with its Long Island Iced Tea RTD and its Tarantula Azul Blue Margarita. The ready-to-serve, prepared cocktail category (as opposed to the malt-based ready-to-drink category) may not, at sales of 6.5 million cases annually, be the largest. “But it’s been around for years. In 2004, according to Adams [Beverage Information Group], it was a 6 to 7 million case per year category,” said Bacardi’s Chisholm. “That’s a decent chunk of volume and it’s not going anywhere. It’s only going to grow.” And it pays to be ready for it. SW StateWays  www.stateways.com  March/April 2011 51

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Editor's Note
• Dateline
• Spotlight on Minnesota
• Growth Brands
• Logging On
• Scotch
• Mixing It Up
• Ad Index