Molson Coors Beverage Co. is entering the non-alcohol beverage segment with a line of canned cocktails called Roxie.
Roxie is being released as more drinkers look for non-alcohol options during Dry January and throughout the year, the Chicago-based company said.
“Roxie is for those who want to moderate their drinking, abstain or simply sip on something fantastic,” said Jamie Wideman, Molson Coors’ vice president of innovation. “Roxie drinkers can feel like they belong at the party while drinking something complex and delicious out of the can, on the rocks or dressed up with their favorite garnish.”
In 2022, 35% of adult drinkers avoided from alcohol in January, up from 21% in 2021, according to Chicago-based Nielsen CGA. Also, beverage industry analysis firm IWSR, London, found the non-alcohol beverage category could grow by 27.6% among 21- to 24-year-olds by 2025.
There are three Roxie varieties, each with 90 calories per 12-ounce serving:
- Lost in the Mango: sweet mango with rich and aromatic flavors
- Forbidden Pineapple: tangy pineapple tinged with tropical tones
- Ripe with Passionfruit: tart passionfruit with a hint of botanicals
“They are familiar flavors with little surprises,” Wideman said. “You really experience the layers. Roxie is inspired by flavors like spices, cardamon and lemongrass to add complexity and intrigue and delivers a true craft cocktail experience.”
To get the flavor combinations right, Molson Coors said it worked with experts, asking bartenders and mixologists what was needed for a memorable beverage. The result, Wideman said, is a recognizable experience but with added depth that’s often absent in zero-proof cocktails.
“We wanted to provide an experience that felt very much like you were having a real cocktail, just without the booze,” Wideman said.
Roxie is aimed at 21-to-34-year-old alcohol beverage consumers and comes in single-flavor four packs and variety 12-packs.
Developed with LA Libations, the El Segundo, California-based beverage incubator in which Molson Coors is a minority owner, Roxie is Molson Coors’ latest offering in the “beyond beer” space and builds on its Simply Spiked Lemonade, Five Trail blended American whiskey and ZOA energy drink.
“As we think about our innovation approach in general, we’re going to have ideas that are big and ready to scale,” Wideman said. “We’re also going to have initiatives that are at the forefront of growing categories and emerging spaces that need time to be nurtured. That’s where Roxie comes in.”
Wideman said offering a non-alc cocktail addresses the importance of having “a portfolio that brings every consumer to the table. With Roxie, we’re doing that.”
Molson Coors also is launching another non-alcohol option, Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0, early this year.
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