The big brewers are leading the way in drinks innovation for the next generation, releasing new product expressions to quench emerging markets.
Lion’s James Squire juggernaut has ventured for the first time beyond its traditional playground of craft beer and cider, to release a Ginger Beer, crafted with Australian ginger.
The company reports the ginger beer market currently growing at 51 per cent year-on-year and sees the new permanent release into the James Squire portfolio as a big opportunity as a major supplier.
“James Squire has a strong track record when it comes to innovation in the beer category and we are confident this will be a real catalyst for further growth in Ginger Beer,” offers Malcolm Eadie, brand director of Premium & Craft at Lion.
“We are already seeing big demand for the product in NSW, QLD and WA in particular.”
James Squire Ginger Beer is packaged in a distinctive 330mL can, with a bright ginger ‘beard’ design.
It will be available on tap in James Squire brewhouses and select pubs nationally, and can be enjoyed straight or over ice with lime, which is the recommended serve.
Carlton & United Breweries has followed suit with a new low-calorie hard seltzer – Actual – named and designed in response to consumer research finding younger consumers increasingly health conscious and looking for honesty and transparency in drinks.
The hard seltzer category – being alcoholic, low-calorie carbonated water – has seen phenomenal growth in the US in recent years, with on-premise sales growing five-fold in 2019 to $1.2 billion USD, tipped to echo in Australia.
This helped inspire CUB’s product development, Actual Vodka Seltzer being its first ever hard seltzer and first white spirit premix since the now iconic Sub Zero 25 years ago.
“The hard seltzer market grew from nothing to become a multi-billion-dollar business in just five years in the United States,” says Marc Lord, Actual senior marketing manager.
“Australians are also becoming increasingly conscious of what they are drinking, so we think the boom will be repeated here.”
CUB reports Actual as one of the lowest-calorie vodka RTDs on the Australian market, made with natural ingredients to a vegan recipe. It comes in Pure, with no sugar and just 65 calories, and Lime, containing low sugar and 69 calories.
