RTD

Spirits-based ready-to-drink (RTD) products will face a challenge to maintain double-digit growth rates in 2025, including a decluttering of items at retail in order for the segment to remain healthy, according to Bump Williams Consulting’s (BWC) monthly report.

Sazerac-owned BuzzBallz has selected the Reyes Beverage Group as its distributor in California, Illinois, Indiana and South Carolina, the multistate wholesaler announced today.

Stevenson announced the news Friday on LinkedIn, posting a photo of herself with JuneShine co-founders Greg Serraro and Forrest Dein, and writing: “Could not be more excited to join Greg, Forrest and the JuneShine Team! So many exciting things to come!”

Party punch maker BeatBox hosted its first national sales meeting in Houston, which had the feel of a Meow Wolf, with a faux convenience store decked out in neon, a trippy giant mushroom-covered hard tea garden, a Las Vegas-themed area with casino games, a lab for new innovations with “scientists” that looked strikingly like Rick of Rick and Morty Adult Swim fame and the usual presentations about the coming year.

Ever since Diageo’s acquisition of Casamigos made George Clooney an overnight billionaire, there’s been a race to the shelf from celebrity-backed brands. But with the wider spirits downturn, how have these business models evolved and where do they have an edge, if at all?

Flavor-forward innovations are driving beer category growth and this trend is accelerating, according to the most recent report from Bump Williams Consulting (BWC). Of the top 25 growth brands at total U.S. off-premise outlets year-to-date (YTD) through June 15, 13 were “flavor-centric” or ready-to-drink (RTD) offerings, BWC founder Bump Williams noted, citing data from market research firm NIQ.

There were many ways entertainment venues aimed to keep the lights on during the pandemic— for a Hamptons bar that regularly hosted musical acts, creating a ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail was one solution.

The state-by-state battle to expand sales of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails continues as spirits advocates celebrated a win in North Carolina this week.

Suntory Global Spirits is continuing to bet big on ready-to-drink (RTD), announcing today Carol Robert, previously COO of Suntory Beverage and Food Great Britain & Ireland (SBF GB&I), as its new managing director of U.S. RTD.

BuzzBallz has made its spherical bottles an essential part of the brand – and it’s not eager to share. The wine-, spirit- and malt-based cocktail brand filed a lawsuit against The Beverage Ranch last week, alleging the rival company copied its patented packaging for its new SlamZees line.

The latest installment of Brewbound’s A Round With – a weekly Insider-exclusive Q&A series with industry leaders – features Chandra Richter, head of product development at Sprinter, the Kylie Jenner-backed line of ready-to-drink (RTD) vodka sodas.

Jinx Drinx is a new ready-to-drink cocktail that that comes in a pouch with patent-pending packaging that includes a sealed-in straw to mitigate drink tampering and drink and drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Beam Suntory is rebranding to Suntory Global Spirits, a move that both reflects back on the decade since the Japanese spirit giant acquired the maker of Jim Beam, as well as the company’s continued evolution into a global premium spirits and ready-to-drink competitor.

FX Matt Brewing Company has made another strategic acquisition, this time in the spirits category.