Molson Coors Beverage Company will support the roll-out of the Bodega Bay hard seltzer range for both the on and off-trade across Ireland and the UK, after securing an exclusive distribution partnership with the brand.
The move follows Molson Coors re-branding as Molson Coors Beverage Company at the end of last year, signalling its intention to continue expanding its portfolio beyond beer.
Bodega Bay brand
The partnership will see the Bodega Bay brand and range of drinks benefit from Molson Coors’ routes-to-market strength and expertise to further scale its presence across multiple grocers and convenience retail stores with an off licence, and in pubs and bars across Ireland and the UK, when Government restrictions lift.
“Bodega Bay has had success since it launched thanks to its unique brand and truly great tasting liquid – immediately tapping into the big trends towards premium ready-to-drink alcoholic drinks and a desire for low calorie, naturally flavoured options that reflect a more health conscious lifestyle,” says Jim Shearer, category, insight and innovation director for EMEA & APAC at Molson Coors Beverage Company.
Growing the hard seltzer category
“The growth and opportunity in the hard seltzer category is clear, but we wanted to partner with a brand we felt had the ability, because of the sheer quality of the drink and brand proposition, to become a cornerstone of the category as it grows," he adds. "With Bodega Bay we feel we have the perfect brand and partner to help our customers make the most of the hard seltzer opportunity and build real longevity into the category.”
Charlie Markland, founder of Bodega Bay, says: “Joining forces with Molson Coors feels like a really natural and right next step for us. We wanted to work with a partner who had real presence in the trade, who could help us scale up, but also who had clear expertise and strength in managing and growing a new premium brand. We have seen the team at Molson Coors do that with Doom Bar, with Rekorderlig and Aspall.
“We have a shared ethos around how to nurture and grow brands in the trade and this partnership means we now have the routes-to-market and know-how to scale-up in the right way. We’re starting in Ireland and the UK, but the plan is to scale internationally with Molson Coors, targeting Western Europe markets, Australia, Japan and South Korea.”
Alcoholic drink for ‘healthy hedonist’
The Bodega Bay range of low-calorie sparkling alcoholic drinks at 4% ABV includes two quintessentially British premium flavours – the flora and fauna-inspired Elderflower, Lemon & Mint, and superfood-infused Apple, Ginger & Acai Berry.
Made for what Charlie Markland calls “healthy hedonist” consumers who want to enjoy an intensely refreshing alcoholic drink with friends but do not want to compromise their healthy lifestyle with high calorie, artificially flavoured options.
The Bodega Bay range contains entirely natural ingredients, just 73 calories, and is gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
The drinks are available in 250ml cans with a Californian-inspired design that they hope will provide an eye-catching point of difference behind the bar.
The Thirst Project
With a desire to be a summer drink with a purpose, Bodega Bay has also recently partnered with The Thirst Project, pledging to invest at least 1% of its sales to bring clean drinking water to people in need across 13 countries worldwide. This equates to 17 litres of clean drinking water per every can sold.
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