As Millennials are looking more and more to unique, flavored beverages, a new trend of flavored, low-alcohol beverages that blurs the lines between beer and wine categories is disrupting the beverage industry.
According to a recent study by the U.S. Beverage Alcohol Forum, flavored spirits have been stealing market share for years, growing 10 times faster than total spirits, as beer sales continue to decline. As a result, companies such as Bud Light, Friends Fun Wine and even celebrities such as Nicki Minaj are working to bridge the gap that has opened between beer and wine drinkers. The result: a distinctly new category of alcoholic beverage that gives the non-beer or spirit drinker a wide range of flavored alcoholic beverages that appeal to a variety of tastes.
Brands leading the charge to bridge the gap include:
- Introduced in April 2012, Bud Light’s initial Lime-A-Rita flavored malt beverage (8% ABV) has grown into a line of six flavors, designed to be poured over ice. As they continue to see potential within this category, Bud Light has filed trademark applications for 10 additional flavors that will continue to take market share.
- Friends Fun Wine is paving the way with its new line of low-alcohol (6% ABV), low-calorie (75 calories per serving) flavored “fun wine” drinks in a can. The product lines seeks to eliminate the “stuffy” aspects of wine, and be consumed as a refreshing, great tasting wine drink. Friends Fun Wine comes in a 250ml aluminum can (2 glasses of wine per serving), with 8 different varieties including Red Sangria, White Sangria, Rose Moscato, White Moscato, Strawberry Moscato, Peach Moscato, Cabernet Merlot and Chardonnay Sauvignon.
- Pampelonne is making a bold push into the category with canned Rosé Lime and Red Sangria varieties. The two beverages infuse French wine with natural flavors to create fun, low-alcohol (6% ABV), and unpretentious wine varieties in-a-can.
- The Myx Fusions Moscato wine-based cocktail line has recently expanded its range with a new Mango flavor, and doubled its bottle size to 375-ml. Co-owned by singer Nicki Minaj, the Myx Fusions line of fruit-infused, carbonated, low-alcohol (5.5% ABV) Moscato also includes Original Moscato, Peach and Coconut and is available in single, ready-to-drink bottles or 12-pack cases.
