Wine Fast Track Brands

After introducing the brand’ s Lemonade + Vodka Variety 8-pack in

2024, the consumer response has been tremendous. ⊲ RISING STAR ing consumer experiences. For our Fast Track winner, Cutwater Spirits, they accomplish this through education.

In 2024, the brand sharpened its focus and put emphasis on educating consumers to show them how“ in just seconds, they can create a high-quality and delicious cocktail,” says a Cutwater spokesperson.

“ For example, throughout the year, we tapped into a network of cocktail experts, like Julianna McIntosh( aka @ Join _ Jules), to create premium content that demonstrated how consumers can elevate their cocktail drinking experience with simple, yet effective entertaining hacks,” they continue.“ After all, a lime wedge garnish or tajin rim can easily elevate your Cutwater Lime Margarita to the next level while impressing your guests.”

RTD COCKTAIL INNOVATIONS

With new RTD brands constantly making their way onto shelves, there’ s always something new for shoppers to try. For Rising Star winner On The Rocks cocktails, they find it crucial to regularly innovate their offerings.

Innovation is working for On The Rocks thus far, and Carol Robert, managing director, US RTD, Suntory Global Spirits, says the brand will continue to lean on this marketing strategy in 2025.

“ You could say that we are obsessed with really understanding how to deliver against the trends and flavors that consumers are looking for,” she says.“ This obsession around insights has been key to successful innovations in the past— we saw it with the rise of the Espresso Martini and again with Blue Hawaiian.”

New flavor innovation is a tactic that also works for Rising Star winner NÜTRL seltzers.

With a focus on growth in the category and as a brand, a NÜTRL spokesperson says the brand is doubling down on innovation in 2025 with the national launch of its newest flavor, NÜTRL Lime. This flavor was brought back for nationwide distribution after an overwhelmingly popular response from consumers in its 2024 limited release.

“ NÜTRL will also continue to establish its presence in the music scene and will be activating at festivals throughout the year, such as Ultra Music Festival, Lollapalooza, The Governors Ball and Country Music Association( CMA) Festival,” the spokesperson says.

Aside from new product launches, brand redesigns are another noteworthy innovative marketing tactic that can help boost sales. Fast Track winner Monaco Cocktails debuted a brand refresh in 2023 with new monochrome cans, each featuring an emblem stating“ established in 2012” within a refreshed logo.

Innovation is also proving to be successful for canned cocktail brand and Rising Star winner Surfside Iced Tea +

FAST TRACK STAR

▲ Cutwater recently released some new flavors, including the Lemon Drop Martini, as part of the brand’ s 2025 innovation marketing strategy.

Vodka. After introducing new flavors in 2024— Black Cherry Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade and Strawberry Lemonade, as well as their Lemonade + Vodka Variety 8−pack— the consumer response was tremendous.

“ In 2024, Surfside was the # 1 fastest growing brand across all alcohol beverage( beer, wine and spirits) with retail dollar sales up + 360 % versus a year ago across the US,” says CEO Clement Pappas.“ Surfside has become the # 2 sales volume spirits-RTD brand in the US, growing to 4.925 million case depletions, up + 278 % versus 2023. We averaged selling over nine cases per minute this past year and achieved bestin-class dollar sales velocity within the category.”

Building on the brand’ s momentum from 2024, Pappas notes that Surfside is releasing a series of line extensions throughout Q1 of 2025, including a Green Tea + Vodka Variety 8−pack, new single flavor Green Tea + Vodka 4−packs and new 700−ml.“ The Longboard” single cans aimed at stadium venues and convenience stores.

In 2024, Rising Star winner Absolut showcased innovation by debuting a new ready-to-serve cocktail line called Absolut Cocktails. Releasing flavors such as Vodka Mojito and Raspberry Lemonade in early February as well as Espresso Martini and Classic Cosmopolitan in early 2025, consumers are slurping up these innovations. •

www. stateways. com Summer 2025 • StateWays 41