Neon Zebra cocktail mixers
PepsiCo
PepsiCo will launch a line of cocktail mixers under a new brand, Neon Zebra, next month.
The food and beverage giant started working on the products two years ago, before the coronavirus pandemic closed the bars. Pepsi was already following the trend of drinking beverages at home, mainly by consumers between 21 and 34 years old.
“They are really looking for convenience and high quality ingredients in their home experiences,” said Emily Silver, PepsiCo’s vice president of innovation and resources for the North American beverage business. “The traditional norm for the category is those big jugs, like those margarita mixers that you buy for a party and then go to the fridge.”
In the 52 weeks ending February 13, American consumers spent $ 304.6 million on cocktail mixers, an increase of 36% over the previous year, according to Nielsen retail data. In 2019, sales of mixers increased by 1.2%.
Q Mixers and Owen’s Craft Mixers are among the newcomers looking to modernize the category. In 2019, Pepsi’s rival Coca-Cola launched its own line of cocktail mixers for spirits based on its namesake soda, but the products were only available in the UK. And Drinkworks, a joint venture between Anheuser-Busch InBev and Keurig Dr Pepper, created an appliance that makes cocktails using capsules.
The pandemic has also accelerated the trend towards alcohol delivery. The IWSR estimates that by 2024, 7% of the total volume of alcoholic beverages outside the US will come from e-commerce. That same trend prompted Uber to buy Drizly, an alcohol delivery service, in early February. Silver said Pepsi is looking for some delivery partnerships to help promote Neon Zebra.
The company’s entry into the category comes in four flavors: margarita, strawberry daiquiri, mojito and whiskey sour. Silver said these flavors tested the best among the general public and the younger consumers he was looking to reach.
“We potentially have an option to expand that line in the future, but those were the four that we found most attractive,” she said.
A 7.5 ounce can of Neon Zebra mix should make two cocktails, with three ounces of spirits added to each drink. The mixers will hit stores on Monday.