Another soda company is testing the beverage-alcohol market – this time with the world’s largest beer manufacturer.
Novamex, the maker of Mexican soda brand Jarritos, is partnering with Anheuser-Busch InBev (A-B) to launch Cantaritos Hard Sodas in California and Texas markets next spring.
Cantaritos Hard Sodas – described as “a new-to-world alcohol brand” – will lean into popular Jarritos flavors such as Mandarin, Pineapple, Tamarind and Fruit Punch in an attempt to appeal to Hispanic drinkers.
Each 5% ABV offering will be sold in variety 12-packs of bottles, and Mandarin and Pineapple will be available in 6-pack bottles and 25 oz. single-serve cans. The bottles resemble those of the non-alcoholic soda brand, which the company leans into with the tagline “Cantaritos by Jarritos.”
In a press statement, A-B’s president of beyond beer Fabricio Zonzini described Cantaritos as “inspired by the traditional clay jars served in Mexico’s vibrant celebrations” and “made to flavor your fiesta” with “bold-tasting flavors.”
The addition of Cantaritos Hard Soda to A-B’s beyond beer portfolio, Zonzini continued, is part of the company’s strategy to build out that business unit.
“Anheuser-Busch’s beyond beer business unit continues to be a growth driver within the industry, and we are committed to strengthening our beyond beer portfolio through a consumer-centric strategy,” Zonzini said. “Five years ago, we set out on a 10-year journey with an ambition to lead future growth, and balancing our portfolio remains at the heart of our strategy.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to finding innovative ways to continue to address our consumers’ needs, and we couldn’t be more pleased to begin working with Novamex on this journey,” he continued.
A-B noted that flavored malt beverages (FMBs), along with hard seltzers and spirit-based canned cocktails, “play a critical role” in the company’s beyond beer portfolio strategy. The company, citing off-premise IRI multi-outlet and convenience data for the 52 weeks ending October 16, noted that since 2019, lower ABV FMBs have grown +56%, to $2.2 billion.
Novamex’s entry into beverage-alcohol via the A-B partnership follows other soda giants testing the alcohol waters, while also providing A-B with an authentic Mexican brand to appeal to Hispanic consumers.
Coca-Cola is using its popular brands to partner with beverage-alcohol products, including Molson Coors (Topo Chico Hard Seltzer and Topo Chico Spirited, Simply Spiked), Constellation Brands (Fresca Mixed) and Brown-Forman (a Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD).
PepsiCo has licensed the intellectual property for MTN Dew to Boston Beer Company to create Hard MTN Dew. The soda maker runs distribution for the brand via its Blue Cloud Distribution arm. PepsiCo is also licensing the Lipton brand to FIFCO USA for Lipton Hard Iced Tea, an FMB, which will also be distributed via Blue Cloud.
Energy drink maker Monster, after acquiring the CANarchy Craft Brewery Collective, is launching The Beast Unleashed, a 6% ABV FMB that will launch in January with flavors similar to popular Monster drinks.
In March, Constellation announced Modelo Cantarito-Style Cerveza, a citrus-flavored lager modeled after the cantarito cocktails popular in parts of Mexico, as part of a slate of innovation products under the Modelo flag that rolled out to test markets. However, it was not selected for wider distribution.
A-B to Run First Beer Ads on Netflix’s Ad-Supported Tier
In other A-B news, the brewer announced today that beginning November 3, it will have the first beer ad served on streaming platform Netflix’s new ad-supported tier.
Three A-B ads will run on the streaming service, two 15-second Michelob ads (“H.O.R.S.E.” and “Last 100M”) and a 30-second Bud Light spot (“Easy to Enjoy”).
“We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with Netflix as we continue to find new ways to enhance the consumer experience with our brands in the entertainment space,” Spencer Gordon, group VP of connections and draftLine at Anheuser-Busch, said in a press statement. “We know consumers have more and more choices when it comes to how they spend their time online, so it’s critical that we continue to evolve our playbook as we look to further integrate our brands into culture.”