Coca-Cola’s interest in beverage alcohol continues to expand with today’s announcement of Simply Spiked Lemonade, a new line of fermented sugar cane-based alcoholic drinks developed through the soda giant’s partnership with Molson Coors Beverage Company.
The 5% ABV line, set to launch nationwide at off-premise accounts this summer, finds the two beverage conglomerates seeking to replicate the formula that helped bring their first collaboration, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, to market last year: leverage an existing non-alcoholic brand from Coca-Cola’s portfolio to break into RTD alcohol, with production, marketing and distribution handled by Molson Coors.
Simply Spiked Lemonade will feature four SKUs — Strawberry Lemonade, Watermelon Lemonade, Blueberry Lemonade and Signature Lemonade, all 170 calories each — inspired by some of Simply’s best-selling non-alcoholic flavors, and will be available in variety 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and in 24 oz. single-serve cans in Signature Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade.
Similar to Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Simply Spiked Lemonade uses an alcohol base of fermented cane sugar, allowing the product to be distributed through the Molson Coors network of beer wholesalers. The conglomerate currently offers a similar flavor with Vizzy Lemonade Hard Seltzer, though a rep for the company noted that Simply Spiked Lemonade will have “a bolder, full flavor and less carbonation.”
Both companies will be hoping to replicate the success of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, which launched in nine states and seven metro areas in early 2021. Along with launching the core line nationwide, this month the brand also introduced a new alcoholic RTD, Topo Chico Ranch Water (4.7% ABV), in 12-packs of 12 oz. slim cans in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas.
“The Coca-Cola Company and Molson Coors have a thriving relationship in North America. The proof is in the success of Topo Chico Hard Seltzer’s national expansion and the introduction of Topo Chico Ranch Water Hard Seltzer,” said Dan White, Chief of New Revenue Streams, Coca-Cola North America Operating Unit, in a press release. “With this momentum, we are excited to expand our relationship with products inspired by another one of our most valuable brands: Simply. We believe people will be excited to try this delicious beverage when it arrives on shelves later this year.”
For Coke, launching Simply Spiked Lemonade reflects the rising importance of the chilled juice brand within its evolving portfolio: while it has divested from Odwalla and Zico in recent years, Simply has emerged as Coke’s second-largest U.S. brand in terms of net revenue. The move comes just weeks after the company announced a separate agreement with spirits giant Constellation Brands to manufacture, market and distribute Fresca Mixed, a new spirit-based ready-to-drink cocktail based on the citrusy soft drink, set to debut later this year.
“Over the past two years, we’ve seen success by shaking up existing categories with new brands that have clear, compelling points of difference, like Coca-Cola’s Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Vizzy Hard Seltzer and ZOA Energy Drink,” said Michelle St. Jacques, Molson Coors’ Chief Marketing Officer in a press release. “Now, we have a huge opportunity to leverage the power of Simply – a brand known for real juice and big flavor – to disrupt the full-flavor alcohol segment in a way that’s never been done before.”