Get the
PARTY
INNOVATION FUELS SUCCESS AND
GROWTH OF PREMIXED COCKTAILS.
By Kate Strandness
M
ojitos, margaritas, hurricanes, pina coladas.
They're popular cocktails on any bar's roster but also cocktails that are available offpremise without any mixing, shaking or
muddling involved. Prepared cocktails—also known as
premixed cocktails, ready to drink (RTD), ready to
serve and progressive adult beverages—make cocktail
imbibing easy whether consumers are at home, on a
boat or outside around a campfire. "Ready to serve
products have become a staple for home entertainers,
providing a much needed convenience for busy
lifestyles," says Toby Whitmoyer , vice president and
brand managing director, rum category, at Bacardi
USA. And according to Michelle Sanders, Kahlua brand
director for Pernod Ricard USA, data shows that the
prepared cocktails market is worth $241 million and
gaining value.
It's also become a hotspot for product innovation.
"Innovation is key in this category," says Megan Frank,
director of Skinnygirl Cocktails. "Ready to serve is such
a high impulse category, and it's the highest impulse
category of any spirits category based on Nielsen
research so keeping it relevant in innovation is probably
more important than any other category."
It's about the newest products, the newest packaging, and the newest flavors. "Consumers are seeking
flavor refreshment in the category," says Sean
Wachsman, Jack Daniel's associate brand manager at
Brown-Forman.
Started!
the Real Housewives of New York and then developed into
a brand that was sold to Beam in March 2011, is turning
into an empire. "When it comes to cocktailing, women
want cocktails that are low calorie and still taste great,"
Frank says.
In April, Skinnygirl Cocktails' expanded its lowcalorie portfolio to include a ready-to-serve mojito and
grapefruit margarita. Skinnygirl Mojito has less than
100 calories per serving, can be served straight from the
bottle unlike a make-your-own mojito which requires
muddling, and each 750 ml bottle retails for $14.99.
Skinnygirl Sweet 'n Tart Grapefruit Margarita offers a
twist on the traditional margarita and also retails for
$14.99.
More releases are expected later this year and into
next year. "Innovation will continue to fuel our growth
in the short term and probably longer term because it's
what our target wants," Frank says. That means product
innovations like a possible sparkling beverage to packaging Skinnygirl in something more than its current 750
Skinny Spirits
W
hat started with the Skinnygirl Margarita, a lowcalorie cocktail created by Bethenny Frankel of
StateWays I www.stateways.com I July/August 2013
Malibu Pouches and Cans.
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