Jones Soda makes entry into alcohol

Dive Brief:

• Jones Soda is making its first foray into the alcohol space with the launch of Spiked Jones Hard Craft Soda. The drinks were made in collaboration with Rainmaker, which produces Locust Cider and will be launched in the second quarter with an unnamed grocer, with wider distribution to follow, the company said.
• According to Jones, the drinks feature a higher amount of alcohol than other hard soda products on the market. The drinks contain 8.4% alcohol-by-volume per 12-ounce can, and 6.9% ABV per 19.2-ounce can. The drink’s flavors follow popular Jones Soda offerings, including M.F. Grape, Orange & Cream, Strawberry Lime, Berry Lemonade, Cola & Lime and Green Apple.
• Soft drink makers are diversifying their product lineups and focusing on alcohol in order to capture the growing number of Gen Z and millennial consumers who are seeking ready-to-drink offerings that can fit a variety of occasions.

Dive Insight:

As a leader in the craft soda space, Jones Soda is expanding its lineup into the alcohol space by partnering with a brand that has a national footprint.

While Jones had sought to enter hard soda sooner, it was not able to perfect a drink that was up to its standards of taste until it partnered with Rainmaker, the company’s CEO David Knight said in a statement. Jones also valued Rainmaker’s existing distribution network which includes restaurants, bars and liquor stores across the U.S., the press release said. 

“There was a natural fit due to our shared admiration of taste profiles, expertise and shared values in beverage philosophy,” Knight said.

Rainmaker, based in Washington state, sells a variety of cider offerings under the Locust brand, in flavors like Blackberry, Honey Pear and Vanilla Bean. The cider maker says it uses real ingredients in its products, like fresh apples and pears. In the press release, Jones said its collaboration on hard soda “compliments and broadens Jones’ classic flavors and formulation.”

Giants in the soda sector are increasingly prioritizing alcoholic offerings as younger consumers look for unique, cocktail-style drinks that can be easily consumed at home. The Coca-Cola Company has made two recent moves bringing its most popular sodas into RTD booze — launching a Jack Daniel’s and Coke product in collaboration with Brown Forman last year, and working with Pernod Ricard on an Absolut and Sprite drink which launched this year in select European countries.

The launch comes after Jones also expanded its THC-infused soda line, Mary Jones, last month with offerings containing hemp delta-9, which is able to be sold in most states as opposed to cannabis.