Molson Coors continues to grow its non-alcoholic portfolio with its latest release Roxie, a zero-proof canned cocktail launching today exclusively online.
Roxie comes in three tropical flavors— mango, pineapple and passionfruit— meant to tap into the character of craft cocktails without identifying specifically as cocktail replacements, according to Jamie Wideman, Molson Coors VP of innovations.
The canned beverage represents the convergence of two spaces traditional companies and start-ups are quickly moving into: no- and low-alcohol and ready-to-drink cocktails. It also represents the first-ever Molson Coors brand to be sold exclusively online.
“What we heard [from consumers] is that they’re not looking for a replacement of those cocktails because they’re still going to be consuming them in their original state,” said Wideman. “They wanted something different, something unique.
The ready-to-drink cocktail fills a gap in the beer-heavy Molson Coors no- and low-portfolio, which includes the low-ABV Miller 54, plus non-alcoholic beers Coors Edge and soon to be released Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0. Roxie was created in collaboration with beverage incubator L.A. Libations, which the beer conglomerate partnered with in 2019 as a first step into the non-alcohol category. Molson Coors also introduced Zoa, a better-for-you energy drink co-founded by actor Dwayne Johnson, in 2021
Roxie arrives at a time when the no- and low-alcohol segment is increasing significantly as consumers shift towards mindful drinking trends. While the category has only 1% volume share of total beverage alcohol in the U.S., its growth rate was 15% in 2022, according to recent data from the IWSR. The category is also expected to grow by 27.6% among 21- to 25-year-olds. Pursuing a new route to market is part of the company’s strategy to bring that demographic into its portfolio.
“By going online, we know that we can reach a broader group of 21-to 35-year-olds who we know are spending a ton of time not only in this segment, but also in the online world and shopping online,” said Wideman.
Other recent cocktail launches from the company, like Topo Chico Spirited, target a younger demographic as well. But the e-commerce route will also provide an opportunity to iterate on the brand and get to consumers faster, said Wideman. While shipping costs can create barriers to online purchasing of low-value items like RTDs, the brand has aimed to craft a positive user experience with a free shipping option when purchases are made over a certain dollar amount, she added. The 2-ounce cans will be sold in 12-pack variety packs for $43, or single-flavor 4-packs for $18.
“I think in this day and age, consumers are used to what it means to buy products online,” she said.