Having already innovated its way through the ready-to-drink category with everything from a classic hard seltzer to Natty Daddy Lemonade, Natural Light is looking beyond canned categories for its latest product launch. The beer maker announced this week it has launched into the spirits world with a line of lemonade-flavored Natty Vodka.
According to Daniel Blake, Group VP of Budweiser & Value at Anheuser-Busch, the move to enter the spirits category was sparked by growing popularity for flavored vodka among Natural Light’s core consumers. Blake said the expansion is an opportunity to evolve the Natural Light brand alongside the evolving taste preferences of its drinkers.
“They are not always going to eat and drink the same thing all the time, and they like to explore new flavors,” said Blake. “The release of Natural Light Vodka provides our fans the variety they are seeking. We see Natural Light Vodka being a mainstay of the Natty Light family for years to come.”
Natty Vodka is available in Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, and Black Cherry Lemonade flavors and joins the beer maker’s other fruit-focused recent launches such as Naturdays Frozen Icicles, Natural Light Sour Seltzers and Naturdays Pineapple Lemonade. However, unlike those seasonal launches, Blake said Natty Vodka will be a permanent addition to the brand’s core product line.
Blake said the lemonade base makes the vodka smooth enough that it can easily be enjoyed over ice or in a shot. He also noted the flavor-forward approach, specifically the Strawberry Lemonade flavor, has a track record for being well-liked among Natty drinkers. With this new product launch, Natural Light hopes to diversify its portfolio to cater to not only the evolving preferences of the consumer, but also give them a variety of options to pick from depending on where the night takes them.
“Our goal was to keep flavor, taste, and variety at the utmost importance when creating this vodka and the experience around drinking it,” explained Blake. “That’s what we’re known for as a beer – so it had to show up here. The release of Natural Light Vodka provides our fans the chance to continue to choose Natural Light products, even when they are not drinking beer or seltzer.”
However, just in case consumers’ love for flavored vodka has dwindled, Natural Light is offering a Taste Satisfaction Guarantee. Consumers can submit their receipt online by September 13 to have their purchase fully refunded.
Natty Vodka launched in ten states across the country with the goal of expanding retail distribution nationwide. The new product is available in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Kansas, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Washington DC, as well as through select e-commerce platforms for on-demand delivery.