The blurring of the line between alcoholic beverages and soft drinks continues with the announcement that Molson Coors Beverage Co. and Coca-Cola Co. are launching Simply Spiked Lemonade in a variety 12-pack of 12-ounce slim cans. It will contain four flavors made with real juice, Molson Coors says: Signature Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Watermelon Lemonade and Blueberry Lemonade. Select flavors also will be available in stand-alone 24-ounce cans.
Each is made with real fruit juice and check in at 5% alcohol-by-volume and 170 calories per 12-ounce serving.
For Molson Coors, the brand represents “a huge opportunity. There’s nothing in the market quite like it, which is really exciting,” says Jamie Wideman, vp-innovation for Molson Coors.
Simply, a growing billion-dollar brand, is Coca-Cola Co.’s second-largest U.S. brand in terms of net revenue after Coca-Cola. It is the nation’s top-selling refrigerated juice brand and is found in half of American households, on average, per Nielsen data. Known for its real, high-quality juices and variety of flavors, Simply already is routinely used by consumers to form cocktails.
“There are other juice brands, but there’s not another Simply. The power that brand brings to market is really unique,” Wideman says. “It has incredible household penetration and the highest consumer awareness among juice brands.”