Cocktails and Mocktails

The portability and durability characteristics that make cylindrical beverage cans so appealing in the craft beer category also apply to the cocktails segment. Consumers appreciate the convenience of a pre-mixed drink in a lightweight format that retains freshness and regulates temperature. Canned cocktails eliminate prep time and the burden of carrying multiple ingredients and tools. Ready-to-drink spirits represented $741 million in U.S. retail-store sales in 2021 through Dec. 25, more than double the sales over the same period a year earlier.¹ A NielsenIQ Global Snapshot report shows the rise of pre-mixed cocktails has global appeal, with Europe showing an 11.7% increase in sales for pre-mixed beverages from 2020 to 2021.²

Consumption of mocktails, which provide a liquor-free alternative to popular libations like the gin and tonic or Moscow mule, is also on the rise. As reported by NielsenIQ, sales of non-alcoholic beverages rose 33.2% in the last year, with $331 million in total sales. Non-alcoholic beer and cider sales grew by 31.7%, but more notably sales of non-alcoholic spirits grew 113.4% during the same period.³

^{1  https://www.wsj.com/articles/fresca-with-liquor-to-join-crowd-of-canned-cocktails-11641477316}

^{2  https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/analysis/2022/pre-mixed-alcoholic-beverages-outpace-beer-and-wine-in-global-markets/}

^{3 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/09/more-are-drinking-alcohol-free-cocktails-beer-and-wine-heres-why.html}