The month of August was Boulevard Brewing Company’s “single best month ever,” even with the the company’s on-premise business cut in half, Duvel USA president Jeff Krum told Brewbound.
In August, Boulevard shipped 19,000 barrels of product, which Duvel USA VP of sales Bobby Dykstra said was tied for the company’s biggest volume month ever, “but in revenue, blew past any month in our history.”
Helping drive that growth was the launch of mixed 12-packs for Quirk Spiked & Sparkling hard seltzer, which accounted for 30% of the company’s shipments in August.
Boulevard’s sales were up 37% during the month, compared to August 2019. Also contributing to that growth were packages of flagship Unfiltered Wheat, Space Camper IPA and the addition of Tank 7 16 oz. cans, which launched in January, Krum said.
“It just speaks to the incredible strength in the off-trade these last months,” he said.
Duvel USA rode that momentum into last week’s virtual national sales summit with its wholesalers.
Brewbound will be bringing you highlights of that meeting this week, starting today with a look at the plans for the company’s “side hustle,” Boulevard Beverage Company. Look for coverage of Boulevard Brewing Company, Brewery Ommegang and Duvel Moortgat import brands in the coming days.
Boulevard Eyes Making Quirk Top 10 National Seltzer Brand
The early success of Quirk has left Duvel USA with big aspirations for the brand, including making it a top 10 national hard seltzer and a top three seltzer in the Midwest in 2021.
“That means we have to pass some significant nationally marketed brands, but we feel that we can do that with your help,” Dykstra said.
In fact, Dykstra called Quirk’s introduction “the strongest launch of any brand” in Duvel USA’s history. Duvel USA director of national accounts Blythe Lee added that Quirk shipped 60,000 cases at launch and they sold out fast.
In the Midwest, Quirk is already top five selling hard seltzer, and in its home market of Kansas City, the brand is a top three hard seltzer brand, trailing just White Claw and Truly, Dykstra said.
“I see no reason why we can’t challenge Truly and White Claw for that crown,” he added.
Boulevard Beverage Company brand manager Ali Bush said Quirk is on pace to be the second largest brand family in Duvel USA by the end of 2020, trailing just Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat.
Three factors drove Quirk in 2020: differentiation via ingredient driven flavor combinations and real fruit juice, category alignment and meeting the needs of better-for-you seeking consumers, and the equity of the Boulevard brand.
To further grow Quirk in 2021 the plan for Quirk is to expand its network, add innovation, aggressively push mix packs and invest in digital campaigns.
Quirk launched in the spring in three flavor combinations — Strawberry Lemon & Basil, Blackberry Sage, and Pear Yuzu — each checking in at 4.2% ABV with 90 calories and less than 1 gram of sugar. In 2021, the company will launch new flavor combinations and mix them into a pair of year-round variety packs.
Shipping in March will be a “Berry and Botanical” Quirk mixed pack featuring two new flavor combinations — Cherry Blossom & Lime and Blueberry Lemon & Lavender — as well as Blackberry Sage and Strawberry Lemon & Basil. This pack will replace Quirk’s existing variety pack.
The “Splash of Citrus” mix pack features three new flavors — Hibiscus Lemonade, Watermelon Salt & Lime and Grapefruit Twist — and will begin shipping in June and will also include the Pear Yuzu flavor combo.
Both variety packs will be year-round offerings, in addition to 6-packs of the three original three flavor combos.
Additionally, Duvel is looking at adding new markets in the fall, including Southern California, parts of Texas, Illinois, and Colorado, and will evaluate other markets for 2021.
Fling Chases Top 5 RTD Canned Cocktail Positioning
Fling Craft Cocktails, Boulevard’s ready-to-drink canned cocktail line and the other “side hustle” in the Boulevard Beverage Company portfolio, is working toward becoming a top five RTD canned cocktail brand, Dykstra said.
To get to that positioning, “it’s getting grocery distribution and executing chain programming,” Dykstra told the company’s wholesalers.
The strategy for Fling is to evolve its portfolio of offerings and lean more heavily into the Boulevard connection, while targeting high-end consumers and delivering “great profit margins,” Bush said.
Among those changes are rebranding its Gin and Tonic to a Botanical Gin and Tonic, lowering the ABV to 5.9% and cutting the calories to 120. Those moves were made to better align it with its Blood Orange Vodka Soda and Mojito offerings, which each check in at under 6% ABV, around 100 calories and retail for around $9.99.
As for Fling’s Margarita, the company has decreased the tartness and increased the ABV to 9% (up from 7.5% ABV) to more closely align it with the line’s higher priced offerings at $12.99. Margarita now fits within the company’s “Big and Bold” lineup, which features offerings above 8% ABV, such as Rye Whiskey Mule and Mai Tai.
In the spring, the company will release a Fling mix pack — featuring Blood Orange Vodka Soda, Mojito, and Botanical Gin and Tonic — to help drive trial for the summer.
The updated products will ship to wholesalers by the end of the year.