The Beast Unleashed, Monster Energy’s entry into alcohol beverages, is set to debut Feb. 1 in the year the Corona, California-based company turns 21.
The flavored malt beverage contains 6% alcohol and is available in 16-ounce single-serve cans and 12-packs of 12-ounce slim cans. There are four flavors: Mean Green, White Haze, Peach Perfect and Scary Berries. Each 12-ounce serving contains 130 calories, zero sugar and 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates.
Mean Green is modeled on the original Monster Energy drink flavor, according to Seltzer Nation. White Haze is similar to the citrusy Monster Energy Zero Ultra and Perfect Peach to Ultra Peachy Keen. None of the flavors contains caffeine.
There will be a phased rollout of the new flavors, with the first states being Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, Seltzer Nation said. About two months later, the distribution will extend to Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Tennessee and Texas. Two months after that, it will be available nationwide.
Jack Lewis, senior category manager at GPM Investments, Richmond, Virginia, said GPM's convenience stores will carry the new Monster product, adding the 16-ounce cans to its suction cup program and displaying the variety 12-pack.
“We will also add it to our POG (planogram) refresh in March and April,” he said. “We are excited to bring it in. Monster energy is a strong partner with GPM and sells very well.”
Michael Burke, category manager for packaged beverage at ampm and Thorntons, La Palma, California, said he plans to test the new beverage in a few of the c-store operator’s markets “where we have strong relationships with the distributors.”
In a report of Monster’s new beverages, Bonnie Herzog, managing director at Goldman Sachs, New York, wrote, “Importantly, both beer distributors and retailers were positive on the Beast Unleashed, noting that the product will be incremental to the category and bring in new consumers to the FMB (flavored malt beverage) space.”
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