The communal boozy punch bowl of yesteryear is getting a makeover.
Jinx Drinx, which launched in Las Vegas this month after testing in Southern California, is a new ready-to-drink cocktail that that comes in a pouch with patent-pending packaging that includes a sealed-in straw to mitigate drink tampering and drink and drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA). But beyond safety-minded drinkers, the founders have discovered that the product also has appeal to consumers on-the-go and retailers looking for unique packaging.
The 8.4 oz pouches (6.5% ABV) are sold in single-serves at $2.99 and 8-packs at $18.99, and come in four wine-based flavors: Lime Twist, Tropical Pineapple, Mixed Berry and Peach Mango.
Co-founder Maddie Largey started the project while in Stanford’s product design program after experiencing DFSA while she was a student. She’s joined by Colin Michael, a trained chemical engineer, who previously designed an RTD for beverage giant AB InBev in South Africa.
Jinx’s mission is borne out of some grim statistics: One in six women in U.S. colleges report DFSA, according to the founders. Other prevention products have come on the market, but aren’t integrated into the drinks themselves. The company also aims to encourage consumption awareness and limits in light of viral trends like Borgs and the co-founders’ own surveys of 21+ college students. Packaging visually indicates how much alcohol is in each pouch as compared to other beverages (such as a shot or wine glass), something the founders say is a more informative cue than ABV.
“The outward messaging that we’ve been trying to go with is work hard, play smart,” Largey said.
But the founders also found that the pouch resonated with a wider demographic than their initial 21-25 age range target. After spending time in the beach towns of Southern California, “active” consumers aged 21-35 found the pouches convenient and were looking for a party punch that falls lower in ABV compared to other top sellers. Wine-based RTD sales have remained relatively steady as of late, down to +23.7% in the two-weeks ending May 4 from +24.2% in the 52-weeks, with another punch, BeatBox, and Buzzballz leading. The segment makes up the smallest share of RTD dollars across bases, but grew +9.2% in NIQ off-premise channels since last year.
While cans dominate RTD sales, the founders maintain that the pouch format provides a convenient differentiation at retail: chip clips allow wider merchandising options and the pouches are more compact in storage than cans. The brand’s suction cups in the coldbox only fit their pouches, cutting down on the risk of fighting for space among canned products. Single-serve merchandising has allowed them to get traction at convenience channels, meanwhile tastings at larger retailers require more activation. On-premise, the founders argue that cutting down on trash is a selling point: both in spills and lighter trash cans.
During the trial period, men gravitated towards the products more than expected, informing an updated packaging design that could be viewed as gender-neutral.
Those learnings were gathered in a six month trial period, which gave the team the time to perfect packaging and readdress go-to market strategy with the help of advisor Scott Blazek, former vice president at Heineken and Breakthru Beverage. While nightclubs were an initial target, the team has learned that hospitality groups move slower than other channels. They’ve now been targeting larger entertainment venues that may pull in one or two pallets to get distributors excited and boost visibility, and then work backwards into retailers to cut down on activation staffing. The company has signed on with Johnson Brothers Liquor Company for distribution in Nevada.
“In the competitive wider beverage alcohol landscape, it’s difficult to find a truly unique business like Jinx,” said Gary Charmel, western regional president at Johnson Brothers Liquor Company.
The founders also aim to contrast the brand’s serious mission with playful marketing and a nod to the nostalgia of a pouch and straw drink with a retro-styled website.
“I think having a brand that feels playful has been something that’s been a big asset for us, even with retail buyers who come back and say they love the vibe,” Largey said. “One of the benefits of being a small player is that we’re able to do things like that and make bolder moves in terms of how it looks and how it’s meant to feel.”