{"id":29348,"date":"2023-01-11T17:42:21","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T17:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/11\/molson-coors-debuts-its-first-booze-free-canned-cocktails-for-moderation-minded-drinkers\/"},"modified":"2023-01-11T17:42:21","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T17:42:21","slug":"molson-coors-debuts-its-first-booze-free-canned-cocktails-for-moderation-minded-drinkers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/11\/molson-coors-debuts-its-first-booze-free-canned-cocktails-for-moderation-minded-drinkers\/","title":{"rendered":"Molson Coors Debuts Its First Booze-Free Canned Cocktails for Moderation-Minded Drinkers"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In creating its first booze-free cocktail in a can, Molson Coors asked consumers what they wanted in a temperance-minded drink and, more specifically, what they did not want.<\/p>\n

The answer\u2014no virgin margaritas or faux-gronis, please\u2014led to Roxie, a line of ready-to-drink cocktail alternatives developed with seasoned mixologists and launched to coincide with the annual Dry January moderation movement.<\/p>\n

The liquor giant, home to a raft of well-known brands including Miller Lite<\/a>, Molson Canadian and Vizzy Hard Seltzer, aims to carve out its own lane in the fast-growing non-alcoholic space, according to Jamie Wideman, vice president of innovation at Molson Coors Beverage Co.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe went pretty deep into the conversations and consumers told us, \u2018I don\u2019t want a fake cocktail\u2014I want something different,\u2019\u201d Wideman told Adweek. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to compromise just because they\u2019re not drinking alcohol, and we don\u2019t want them to feel like they\u2019re in the penalty box.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Zebra-striping Gen Z<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Like many entries in the expanding category, Roxie is targeted at young consumers who may be taking part in Dry January<\/a> and are likely to swap out full-strength libations for low- and no-alcohol drinks this month and beyond. (That practice is called \u201cblending\u201d or \u201czebra striping.\u201d)<\/p>\n

And with the Gen Z demo in mind, the new brand\u2019s positioning is intentionally unapologetic, with taglines like \u201cZero Fox Given\u201d and \u201c100% attitude, 0% alcohol.\u201d Marketing so far is rooted in social and digital like TikTok and Instagram, taking advantage of the current spike in popularity of canned cocktails<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Roxie debut comes as the low- and no-alcohol category reached $3.3 billion in U.S. sales in 2021, according to NielsenIQ data compiled from retailers. IWSR projects a 31% increase in sales by 2024.<\/p>\n

The numbers are particularly strong for 21- to 25-year-old consumers, per IWSR, where the NA category is expected to grow by 27.6% annually.<\/p>\n

Social media, which was rife during the early days of the pandemic with \u201cwine o\u2019clock\u201d and day-drinking references, has seen hubs for moderation spring up across various platforms. The #sobercurious hashtag on TikTok, for instance, has logged 364 million views, and there are expanding communities on subreddits like r\/stopdrinking.<\/p>\n

\u2018Not just fruity tooty\u2019<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Roxie, a collaboration with LA Libations that comes in three flavors, will be sold exclusively in the direct-to-consumer channel initially, Wideman said, with potential to later tap into the powerful Molson Coors distribution network per consumer response.<\/p>\n

The drinks\u2014Ripe with Passionfruit, Forbidden Pineapple and Lost in Mango\u2014are made with carbonated water, cane sugar, fruit juice and concentrates, along with botanicals and spices like lemongrass and cardamon.<\/p>\n

\u201cTaste is very important to us,\u201d Wideman said. \u201cWe wanted to deliver on layered flavors and make sure it felt like a craft cocktail that\u2019s vibrant and complex. It\u2019s not just a fruity tooty drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roxie falls into a subset of non-alc beverages like Ghia<\/a>, Kin Euphorics<\/a> and De Soi that don\u2019t pretend to be booze and don\u2019t sell themselves as one-to-one swap-outs for alcohol in mixed drinks.<\/p>\n

Yet its \u201cuse occasions\u201d like happy hours and parties mirror both alcohol and liquor alternatives such as Seedlip<\/a> and Ritual Zero Proof<\/a>, per Wideman, and the marketer sees Roxie as a complement to its existing lineup, which includes low- and no-alcohol beers.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsumer behavior is shifting, the lines are blurring and people are looking for more choices,\u201d Wideman said. \u201cIt\u2019s important for us to have an inclusive portfolio and invite more people in with accessible options.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n