Diageo, the UK company which is the world's leading spirits and wine producer, has introduced Smirnoff Green Apple Twist vodka to the US market, the fifth fruit flavoured vodka under the Smirnoff name to hit the shelves there.
The apple flavoured vodka - whose launch is designed to coincide with the apple harvest - is just one of several apple-flavoured products which have been launched in the US this year, according to Diageo.
"Smirnoff Twist has been at the forefront of the flavoured vodka trend in the US which has grown almost 200 per cent since the mid 1990s," said Jeff Parrott, Smirnoff Twist national brand manager. "We looked to our consumers to help us decide the newest hot flavour to launch, and after careful research we felt Green Apple would resonate most with our consumers."
Green Apple Twist joins Citrus, Orange, Raspberry and Vanilla as the latest flavoured vodka from Smirnoff, the worldwide leader in vodka. Flavoured vodka is the second fastest segment of sales growth in the US spirits market and Smirnoff Twist brands are the category leader with 35 per cent of the sales, according to Parrot.
Over the last three-years, Smirnoff Twist brands have experienced a 64 per cent increase in sales. Other flavoured vodka brands which are popular in the US include Absolut and Stolichnaya.
Smirnoff Green Apple Twist will be available in all markets in the US in 50ml, 750ml, and 1-litre bottles beginning in November 2002. Smirnoff Twist flavoured vodka was launched in 1999 in the US and is packaged in a quirky 'twisted' bottle.