WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Heineken USA is launching a canned sparkling wine that it said is a modern take on traditional mead.
Comb and Hive is a crisp wine made with wildflower honey and real sugar fermented with orange blossom flower and a hint of fizz, the company said.
The drink will be test marketed in Denver and Nashville, Tenn., starting on Labor Day. It will be sold in 12-ounce four-packs. Each has 6.9% ABV with 150 calories and 2 grams of sugar.
“For Comb and Hive, it’s all about connection,” said Karla Flores, director of commercialization innovation marketing at Heineken USA. “The honeycomb prominently displayed on the front of our can symbolizes connection in its purest form, allowing bees to knit themselves together and produce golden wildflower honey. Marry that with orange blossom and you have a drink crafted by and made for connection.”
Off-premise canned wine dollar sales are growing, up 186% from 2018 to 2020, Flores said, citing Nielsen, Chicago, data. Comb and Hive’s marketing will focus on adults 21 and up who drink wine, hard seltzer and cocktails, looking for a new wine to enjoy in social occasions.
Heineken USA is a leading high-end beer importer, known for brands including Heineken 0.0, Amstel Light, Red Stripe, Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders, AriZona SunRise Hard Seltzer and Dos Equis.
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