Mark Anthony Brands

In response to fans’ love for nostalgic flavors, Mike’s® Hard Lemonade is bringing back the 90’s with new Mike’s® Hard Freeze: a collection of four refreshing, throwback flavors that will remind you of your favorite slushy flavors. In fact, more than 70% of consumers1 crave nostalgic flavors, reminding them of simpler times and carefree days. When it comes to maximum chill and the ultimate refreshment, new Mike’s® Hard Freeze is guaranteed to blast your tastebuds with something totally new and different from the original hard lemonade expert.

Hard Seltzer Roundup: New Belgium Releases High ABV Fruit Smash Super Hard Seltzer; White Claw Launches ‘Surf;’ Two Robbers Debuts Fruit Punch

Hard seltzer could account for 10% of total beverage alcohol sales by 2025, according to a report from financial services firm Credit Suisse. Since 2019, hard seltzer, which currently accounts for 3.5% of total beverage alcohol, has been pulling share from all three categories.

More than 75% of beer wholesalers said the summer selling season is off to “a strong start,” as Memorial Day trends either met or exceeded expectations, Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog found in her latest “Beverage Bytes survey” of about 40 distributors covering 145,000 retail outlets (about a quarter of the total U.S. outlets that sell alcoholic beverages).

Just how big a part of the beer category could hard seltzer be by 2025? It depends on who you ask. During this month’s Beverage Forum, Anthony Von Mandl and Jim Koch, the leaders of the companies that produce the two largest hard seltzer brands, White Claw and Truly, respectively, offered differing projections, according to analysts’ reports.

White Claw Hard Seltzer and Mike’s Hard Lemonade maker Mark Anthony Brands has filed a lawsuit against Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bang Energy LLC alleging copyright infringement in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. In the lawsuit filed April 26, Mark Anthony argues that the defendants’ MIXX flavored malt beverages infringe on its MXD Cocktail Company flavored malt beverages and may cause consumer confusion.

Hard seltzers will be receiving more shelf space in convenience stores, according to Goldman Sachs analyst Bonnie Herzog’s latest “Beverage Bytes” survey of convenience store beverage buyers (representing 30,000 retail locations, or about 20% of the c-store channel).

Amid rising competition in the ever-expanding hard seltzer segment, Mark Anthony Brands is adding two line extensions and one new variety pack to its White Claw franchise ahead of peak summer seltzer selling season. The company has finally announced the launch of long-rumored White Claw Surge, the 8% ABV version of the best selling hard seltzer, as well as a third variety pack.

In Bump Williams Consulting’s latest data dive, the firm explored whether new brands and line extensions are “building the segment or stealing share and volume from existing players.”

Anheuser-Busch touted the successful first-week performance of its hard seltzer collaboration with rap star Travis Scott, Cacti Agave Spiked Seltzer, which sold out in many brick-and-mortar stores within 24 hours and online within 12 hours.

The hard seltzer leader introduced its latest innovation, White Claw Hard Seltzer Iced Tea – a hard seltzer iced tea made with sustainably sourced brewed tea. White Claw Hard Seltzer Iced Tea is crafted using a unique BrewPure process, sustainably sourced brewed tea, and the finest flavors to deliver a wave of pure refreshment like no other.

Hard seltzer dollar sales topped $4.14 billion in 2020, increasing 160.4% compared to 2019, according to Bump Williams Consulting (BWC), citing NielsenIQ all-outlet, plus convenience and liquor data through December 26, 2020.

Distributors expect the hard seltzer segment to end the year with 155% growth and come close to doubling in 2021 with much of the growth coming from leading brands, White Claw (Mark Anthony Brands) and Truly Hard Seltzer (Boston Beer Company), according to a report from Goldman Sachs Equity Research arm.

Mark Anthony Brands — the maker of White Claw and Mike’s Hard Lemonade — plans to build a $400 million production facility in Columbia, South Carolina, according to a press release posted on Tuesday to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s website.