Stateways

Stateways July-Aug 2013

StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions

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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. 35

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