Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
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RTD Cocktails 46 Beverage Dynamics • July/August 2015 www.beveragedynamics.com and then I thought, 'Wouldn't it be cool to have a little round bottle ball with a cocktail inside?'" FOLLOWING THE LOW-CAL TREND The brainchild for the RTD line Crafted Cocktails occurred in 2013, when founder Felicia Vieira, "noticed that something was missing. I'm a frequent traveler for business and I was going to a lot of metropolitan areas. I was fi nding great cock- tails that were full of fl avors and low in calories. But nothing of the like was available as RTD. There were mixes, and there were some RTDs, but nothing like what you'd get if you or- dered a cocktail at a bar or restaurant. These RTDs would be low in calories, but would contain artifi cial sweeteners. Or they'd have real fl avors, but also a lot of alcohol and calories." Vieira's inability to fi nd products with natural fl avors and low calories speaks to a negative perception that continues to nag RTDs. "There can be this stigma of people thinking, 'if I'm buying something off the shelf at a grocery store, then it must be fake'," she says. This stigma lingers in the RTD market due to a history of inexpensive products - some consumers aren't aware of the recent rise in higher-quality alternatives. The question of whether RTDs are "low-shelf " is "why I ended up getting involved in this business in the fi rst place," Bauer says. "We've gotten so used to these RTD brands over the last 20 years that are very low proof, all artifi cial fl avoring, loaded with sugar and carbs. That is why RTDs can have a bad rep." It is essential, therefore, for the new generation of RTD-makers to promote the natural ingredients and premium quality of their products. "We take a lot of pride in what we put into our drinks," Kick says. "This is not Gatorade spiked with vodka. Believe me, to do something like that would be a heck of a lot cheaper. But it was important for me to make these products like I would make a cocktail at home — with real juice. We try to make them as natural as possible. They're almost all 100% natural. We also have kosher certifi cation." Rob Boyer, director of marketing for the coconut water/ vodka drink VO|CO (which launched to market in 2014), echoes Kick. "If you're not using the best stuff that you can fi nd, then it's going to come through on the palate of the con- sumer," he says. "We think of it in terms of what the customer is looking for, and that's products that are high quality and natural." "I think the stigma towards RTDs is going away," Boyer adds. "There is this wave of interest in the RTD category. Once you see our product and know the quality of our ingredi- ents, there's an interest level to at least check out the product." MARKETING TO MILLENNIALS Freshness and quality have both been critical to the lasting suc- cess of Twisted Shotz. "It's all in the fl avor," says Peter Heyworth, VP of marketing for Independent Distillers, makers of Twisted Shotz and the new, male-focused RTD line Double Barrel Shots. "We're experts in cream-based products. Cream is very diffi cult to package and keep fresh. We have a process — using New Zea- land milk, which is very fresh — of maintaining the freshness right through to the consumer." Another reason why natural ingredients are imperative is because Millennials are especially keen to the legitimacy of product quality. "They're the Whole Foods generation," Bauer says. "They're savvier about authenticity and nutrition." Among Millennials, the appeal of RTDs is strong. They fi t into a Millennial's active, diverse, pleasure-seeking lifestyle. And RTD-makers advertise and brand accordingly. "Our colors and funny names are important marketing strategies," says Kick, of BuzzBalls. "You can mix and match them. The colors are bright and vivid. The colors of the balls match the colors of the cocktails inside." The brand is unveiling a new marketing campaign this year. "It's called The Party Counselor," Kick says. "Basically, he's this handlebar-mustache-wearing, country-boy-looking Texas guy who goes around fi xing people's bad parties." Ease of pleasure is a common theme in RTD strategies. "At their core, these were created for people throwing parties," Bauer says. "LIQs can live in coolers, fridges, or be out by the pool. You can grab one, hand them out to friends, and keep the party going." A sense of youthful irreverence and experimentation is also Many of the newest RTD offerings are designed for outdoor parties, where mixing drinks for large groups of people is time-consuming. BuzzBallz are available in a variety of fl avors and combine spirits and fruit fl avors in a round, easy-to-drink container.