Despite the huge popularity of ready-to-drink premixed products in the UK, one sector which has been largely overlooked is wine. Racke, the German wine and spirit group, recently launched its first wine-based premix, but so far the UK RTD market has remained almost exclusively spirit-based.
But this is about to change, according to Pat Brazzier of PASH Beverage Research, with the launch of a new sparkling wine and fruit schnapps product under the Archer's brand owned by Diageo.
No stranger to the spirit-based RTD segment with its Smirnoff Ice and Archer's Aqua brands, Diageo is hoping for a similar level of success with Archer's Eden, launched this week exclusively in the Asda supermarket chain.
The 5.0 per cent abv drink comes in 70.0cl bottles and is a slightly sparkling blend of fruit schnapps and wine with two variants, Berry Rosé and Citrus White. The retail price is £3.48.
But Diageo is just the latest in an increasingly long list of major drinks groups moving to tap this particularly female-orientated sector of the RTD market. Other brands launched recently in the UK include Beverage Brands' new product Kitsch - also launched this week - GBL International's Cavela, Bacardi-Martini's Coomira Coast and Scottish Courage's Bliss. Constellation Brands' Arbor Mist range has been available through Matthew Clark for a number of years.
But other companies have been deterred by the apparent slowdown in the UK RTD market, Brazzier said. Langguth, the German owner of Blue Nun, recently delayed the launch of Slinky, a mix of wine and citrus, aimed at 18 to 30 year-old females frequenting bars and clubs.
Diageo had also added a further variant to its successful Archers Aqua range. The limited edition Exotic Passion Cocktail (Tropical Fruits) is available now in a special 12-pack retailing at £12.99.
Meanwhile, another Diageo brand, Bailey's Glide, launched last month, is being merchandised by some supermarkets alongside RTD brands such as Independent Distillers Vodka Mudshake range, despite Diageo's insistence that it is not an RTD product.
Finally, the other major player in the UK RTD sector, Bacardi Martini, has suffered a setback this month with the recall of its 70.0cl multi-serve Bacardi Breezer range in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands following breakages of the glass bottles while in consumers' hands.
The company is investigating the problem, which it said was likely to be due to the manufacture of the glass and that there was not a problem with the drink itself. A replacement bottle is expected to be available within the next four or five weeks, Brazzier said.