Heineken UK launches RTD rum cocktails range
Heineken UK is expanding the Red Stripe offering with the introduction of a brand-new range of ready-to-drink (RTD) rum cocktails, Rum Stripe by Red Stripe (7.5% ABV), in three flavours:
- Rum Punch
- Cherry & Cranberry
- Pineapple & Coconut.
Rolling into the convenience channel in 250ml single can formats from August 2024, the range aims to tap into Red Stripe’s unparalleled Jamaican heritage by combining a mix of real fruit juices with a double measure of high-quality Caribbean rum. All three SKUs are also vegan friendly, with no artificial flavours or colours.
Off the back of the Red Stripe brand being worth £25.5m and its popularity in convenience outlets (Nielsen MAT to 27/07/24), the 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 (Nielsen MAT to 27/07/24).
The Rum Stripe by Red Stripe concept 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 designed to tap into changes in drinking habits among Gen Z consumers, with younger consumers preferring shorter, sweeter sweets drinks (Polaris study – BCG 2022).
Katie Park, head of Beyond Beer at Heineken UK, notes how the introduction of three creative flavour combinations will allow UK consumers to ‘Taste the Tropics’.”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 by Red 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.
