Red Stripe has entered the RTD cocktail category with the launch of its Rum Stripe in three flavours: Rum Punch, Cherry & Cranberry and Pineapple & Coconut.
The brand new range of rum cocktails (ABV 7.5%) is rolling into convenience in 250ml single can formats (RRP £2.75) this month.
Heineken UK said the innovation taps into changes in drinking habits among Gen Z consumers, with younger consumers preferring shorter, sweeter sweets drinks.
All three SKUs are vegan-friendly, with no artificial flavours or colours.
This latest innovation aims to expand Red Stripe’s potential for retailers by tapping into the strength of the booming RTDs category which, in turn, is worth £181M in convenience and growing +5.4% year-on-year, according to Nielsen.
The launch was first introduced in Jamaica last year, allowing consumers to recreate the experience of Rum Cocktail drinking culture at home for the first time.
A subsequent US launch also proved successful, and this latest roll out is “set to create excitement among loyal Red Stripe fans in the UK as well as driving trial with new consumers”.
Katie Park head of Beyond Beer at HEINEKEN UK commented: “At HEINEKEN UK, we have a strong track record of bringing category-leading innovation to the market, consistently evolving our portfolio of brands in line with market trends, and always keeping the consumer at the heart. This is exactly what we have set out to achieve with this launch.
“By investing in categories outside of traditional beer & cider, we can leverage the strength of our popular brands to introduce innovative drinks that consumers can trust will deliver on quality. From a shopper perspective, seeing renowned brands move into new formats naturally inspires curiosity and excitement which, in turn, will help our retailer partners grow their sales and drive footfall.”
Rum Stripe is making its UK debut at Notting Hill Carnival.
A raft of sampling and branding activity will make the new range unmissable, with branded t-shirts worn by the Carnival’s 500+ staff, goodie bags handed out to attendees, and local convenience stores being gifted branded decorations and POS materials.
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