Consumers’ embrace of flavored alcoholic beverages brings opportunities for licensors of brands associated with fruit, sweets, or other taste treats.
Flavored beers accounted for 27% of total new beer launches in 2015, according to researcher Mintel. That compares to 15% five years earlier. In addition, 20% of U.S. beer drinkers (and 39% of female beer drinkers) partook of flavored beer last year. The trends are similar for other types of flavored alcoholic beverages as well.
A few of the beverage makers that have capitalized on this trend through licensing (or other forms of partnership) to date include:
- New Belgium Brewing, with its Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, created in conjunction with Ben & Jerry’s. The ice cream maker, in turn, is producing a Salted Caramel Brownie Ale ice cream. Sales of both benefit the eco-organization Protect Our Winters.
- Pinnacle, with Cinnabon vodka, produced under license from Focus Brands. Pinnacle is a division of Beam Suntory.
- Black Bottle Brewery, with Count Chocula and Golden Grahams limited-edition craft beers, made with General Mills’ blessing and ingredients.
- Southern Comfort, with Tabasco-infused Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper, an early example that hit store shelves in 2011.
Meanwhile, branded beers and spirits not tied specifically to flavors—e.g., Portland Trail Blazers beer from Pyramid, Elvis vodka from Three Olives, and Bethenny Frankel’s Skinnygirl Cocktails from Beam—have also included flavored varieties within their product lines, either as the focus or as part of a broader assortment.
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