Coca-Cola is adding a new spiked drink to its impressive roster of beverages. According to CNN, the drink company is partnering with Molson Coors to create Simply Spiked Lemonade. The line will be a collection of alcoholic drinks inspired by Simply fruit juices. With alcohol derived from fermented sugar cane, the flavors will include regular lemonade, strawberry lemonade, watermelon lemonade, and blueberry lemonade.
Simply Spiked Lemonade is coming this summerhttps://t.co/xY62Yo1HMx
pic.twitter.com/JS1AvFJDAd— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 25, 2022
The juices are scheduled to hit the stands sometime this summer. At 5% alcohol-by-volume, Simply Spiked Lemonade will be available for purchase in a 12-pack of slim cans and 24-ounce single cans. Prices haven't been revealed yet.
The new line of drinks marks the third addition to Coke's list of alcohol-spiked beverages. It joins the recently announced Fresca Mixed, a spirit-based cocktail slated for release this summer alongside the Corona-maker constellation, and the Topo Chico hard seltzer, which was released in 2020. The company added Ranch Water, a tequila flavored seltzer, this year.
Simply continues to bring in high revenue for Coca Cola.
Simply is the second-highest revenue-generating brand under the Coca-Cola umbrella, bringing in $1 billion in profits in the U.S.—a feat its continued to hold despite the overall drop in sugary juice sales across all brands. Pepsi got rid of its Tropicana brand due to the slow sales, giving it over to a private equity firm in a multi-billion dollar sale last year.
Molson looks to be optimistic in the collaboration.
Risks aside, Molson remains in high hopes about the collaboration, calling Simply a "powerful and beloved" brand.
"Simply is known for its bold flavor and real fruit juice and there's a great opportunity to create a new brand (in the alcohol aisle)," Molson's Chief Marketing Officer Michelle St. Jacques told CNN.
On the surface, it looks like Molson's hard seltzers have been performing well among the consumer market. Though over the years, the interest in spiked seltzers has wained. The company quietly shuttered its Coors Seltzer last year to shift the company's focus to its Topo Chico and Vizzy brands.
