Ibiza Ice targets UK expansion after securing ‘major investment’

Pre-mixed cocktail brand Ibiza Ice will launch a concerted effort to grow its brand in the UK, after securing ‘major investment’ in Europe.

The brand will ‘significantly ramp up’ marketing spend and further develop its brand – both in the UK and elsewhere – with €500,000 of marketing outlay allocated for the UK in 2017 alone. 

It’s after an 80% stake in the business was acquired by a ‘major investor’ involved in the Belgian-based import group Luxuria.

Ibiza Ice is forecast to exceed £2 million in sales over the next two years, tapping into exponential growth in the market for sparkling and fruit wines.

Sales of sparkling wine in the UK have increased by 80% since 2011 – up from 17.6 million gallons in 2011-12 to an estimated 31.6 million gallons in 2015-16 – according to data from accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.

The growth of prosecco, in particular, has continued to outpace that of champagne and offset a broader decline in the still wines sector.

With listings secured in a number of London clubs and national retail launches scheduled for 2017, Ibiza Ice plans to focus on mobile marketing as a key part of its UK growth strategy. The company has planned a series of data-led campaigns ensure relevance with its target market in both brand and delivery.

Experiential marketing will also play a lead role, with Ibiza Ice planning to sponsor a number of summer music festivals and events in addition to exhibitions across the UK and Europe.

Ibiza Ice will position itself as a lighter and lower-calorie alternative to traditional wines, as it aims to change Brits’ preference towards both prosecco and fruit cider.

 

Founder Richard Horwell believes that the drinks’ natural ingredients – there’s White Isle, made from sparkling lychee, melon and lime; and Sunset, which feature sparkling pomegranate – forms an important part of that strategy.

He explained: “We believe consumers deserve to know what they’re drinking. The reasoning for this is twofold: not only are we proud of our all-natural ingredients, but more importantly, our target consumer is switched-on, observant and savvy – and increasingly conscious about what they’re consuming.”

The two variants are packaged in ‘sleek and sustainable’ 330ml alubottles, with a recommended retail price of between £1.99 and £2.99 per bottle.

The packaging is fully recyclable and features a ring-pull tab that is designed to keep drinks cooler for longer.

The 5.5% ABV drink has experienced substantial worldwide growth since 2014, achieving major listings in countries from Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium to China, South Korea and a number of markets in between.

Since joining forces with distributor Luxuria Import two years ago, Ibiza Ice has seen key development within the Belgian and Dutch markets, gaining significant traction within key beach bars, nightclubs and major wholesalers. This brand awareness has led to rapid off-trade expansion, sparking interest and listings from major retailers such as supermarket chain Delhaize and Wal-Mart.

It will now set its sights on the UK’s on-trade and off-trade, saying that Ibiza Ice is ‘equally at home in high-end bars and restaurants as it is at top nightclubs and festivals’.