A new range of canned cocktails is set for retail shelves in the UK, exploiting shoppers’ ongoing love affair with craft drinks.
HappyDown is a range of sparkling cocktails in three ‘unique’ flavour combinations: lychee, guava and chilli; lemon, cucumber and mint; and raspberry, pomegranate and basil. All three contain only natural flavourings and are targeted at consumers with sophisticated palates.
The cocktails, based on fortified wine and amounting to 4% ABV, also only deliver 145kcal in every can.
They are the brainchild of Paritosh Bhandari and Vishal Mair, who have dedicated two years to perfecting the products.
Bhandari said: “Back in 2012 there was a paradigm shift happening towards ‘better, craft products’ within both the drinks and the food space. Craft beers were sweeping the world and the craft movement was beginning to take wings in the spirits space. But when you looked at the premix/ready-to-drink category, consumers were still grappling with synthetic tasting and weirdly coloured sugary drinks.
“As a result they started moving to other categories like flavoured ciders or craft beers. Our fundamental aim was to liberate drinkers from the ordinary and the artificial and offer them something far more natural tasting, refreshing and exciting – all done in a very craft manner.”
To complement the brand’s positioning, the cocktails will launch in colourful and visually striking 330ml cans. The packaging draws on the brand name, HappyDown, by featuring dual-direction typography and graphics – including a stylised, upside down version of a young male character that it hopes will engage with the brand’s target market.
HappyDown will launch exclusively in 70 Morrisons stores across the UK, with a retail price of £2.20 per 330ml can.
Taken hand-in-hand with Diageo’s premixes, overhauled in April, the launch could spell a resurgence in the individually portioned cocktail category. As well as helping consumers to limit their alcohol and calorie consumption, premixes are a more convenient and affordable alternative to buying full bottles of spirit and mixer together.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024