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While many of the spirits industry's heavyweights have leveraged the trend toward canned cocktails, competitors from the beer business as well as all-new startups are also gaining ground in the category, as reflected by the deep ranks of Impact's RTD "Hot Brands" roster.

At 2.6 million cases, Anheuser-Busch InBev's Cutwater brand is second only to High Noon on the RTD Hot Brands list. Its line is made with various spirits including Tequila, vodka, rum, and whisk(e)y, and recently received a new ad campaign and packaging refresh. Devils Backbone, acquired by ABI in 2016, also produces a line of eponymous canned cocktails. They grew 52% to reach half a million cases in their third year on the market. The world's largest brewer took a different tack with the rollout of Nutrl Vodka Seltzer in 2021. The standalone vodka soda brand exploded in popularity last year, rising from a minimal base to 900,000 cases, driven by its variety 6-pack of fruit flavors.

The trend also extends to Boston Beer Company, which uses its Dogfish Head distilling operation to produce a line of Dogfish Head seltzers made with its in-house spirits. They were up 74% in their second year on the market, reaching 295,000 cases.

Southern Champion's Buzzballz family of products returned to the Hot Brands list with both the wine-based Chillers line and the spirits-based Cocktails line. Both accelerated last year, with Buzzballz Chillers gaining 70% to reach nearly 1.2 million cases while the cocktail line rose to 722,000 cases on a similar growth rate. Buzzballz products stand out from the pack with their spherical packaging. Another wine-based RTD to earn honors is Beatbox, from Future Proof Brands. It more than doubled in volume to reach 1.1 million cases.

Elsewhere, several dedicated Tequila soda brands are challenging the vodka category's supremacy in the premixed segment. Onda Tequila Seltzer, from Que Onda Beverage, joined the list following a strong year in which sales rose to 260,000 cases. Mamitas, from Phusion Projects, also produces Tequila & Soda seltzers in flavors including Lime, Paloma, Mango, and Pineapple. The brand reached 250,000 cases on 32% growth.

Producing both vodka and Tequila options, Carbliss had a stellar 2022. The SNFood brand broke out last year, growing 10 times over to 400,000 cases. Similarly producing vodka and Tequila drinks is Atomic Brands’ Monaco label, which jumped 33% to 2.6 million cases to rank third on the RTD list overall.

The Long Drink, a gin-based cocktail with Finnish heritage now produced as an RTD, reached one million cases on triple-digit growth, making it by far the most successful gin brand among canned cocktails. Another vodka-based brand is Mom Water, now available in more than 20 states. It's non-carbonated and each flavor sports a common Baby Boomer-era woman's name like Nancy, Linda, and Susan. From a first-year base of 38,000 cases in 2021, Mom Water reached 481,000 cases in its second year. Two Chicks, which produces RTDs using various spirits, also made the grade, jumping 45% to 310,000 cases.—Danny Sullivan

Tagged : BuzzBallz, Cutwater, Dogfish Head, High Noon, Onda

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