Hard seltzers
Hard seltzers exploded onto the drinks scene in the US last year and will be making their way to the UK in 2020. Doing what it says on the tin, hard seltzers are alcohol-spiked fizzy drinks made with booze, carbonated water and flavouring. The trend for the alcoholic versions of the drink has grown in tandem with the rise of zero ABV seltzers – the popularity of hard seltzers is growing at such a rate that the category is predicted to be worth $2.5 billion in the US by 2021.
Their appeal can be put down to them ticking a number of different trend boxes, being low calorie, low in sugar, often low in alcohol and packaged in portable cans. The hard seltzer seems to be the lovechild of all the drinks trends hitting the industry at the moment, so may just prove a flash in the can, but could be here to stay as beer and spirits drinkers switch to seltzers with a kick.
Among the biggest brands making waves at the moment are White Claw, which comes in five flavours including black cherry and mango; Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer, which boasts a distinctive mermaid motif and includes sophisticated flavours like pear and elderflower; and Truly, owned by Boston Beer, which has a 13-strong range of flavours. We expect to see a number of US brands launching in the UK this year, after AB InBev’s Mike’s Hard Sparkling Water led the way last November.
