(Photo: Diageo)
Time to report to deck, mateys; one of the biggest names in spiced rum is dropping a canned cocktail.
On Wednesday, PepsiCo teamed up with Captain Morgan on a ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic beverage. Canned at 5% ABV, each drink will reportedly combine zero-sugar Pepsi Max with a splash of Captain Morgan Spiced Gold. The cocktail debuts at UK retailers today with a suggested price of £2.59 (US $3.50) per can.
The announcement comes mere days after Bacardí Rum collaborated with Coca-Cola on a canned pre-mixed cocktail. Just a day before that, Coca-Cola dropped a cherry-flavored RTD alongside Jack Daniel's. Long gone are the Cola wars of the 1980s and '90s; nowadays, the battle is being waged through booze.
"PepsiCo is always looking for new opportunities to meet the changing tastes and demands of consumers by bringing new, innovative products to market," Natalia Filippociants, General Manager of Beverages at PepsiCo GB, remarked in a news release. "Our partnership with Diageo brings together two drinks powerhouses who share a passion for innovation."
Captain Morgan is owned by Diageo, the British firm behind Casamigos, Johnnie Walker and Guinness. The company says that consumers are 81% more likely to purchase an RTD marketed with a branded mixer.
Heavy hitters have been quick to pick up the concept. Recent launches include a Hard 7up produced by Bud Light-owner AB InBev and an Absolut Vodka Sprite cocktail helmed by French spirits giant Pernod Ricard. Across the category, Coca-Cola has defined the trend with a string of releases including Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Fresca Mixed, Minute Maid Spiked and Simply Spiked Lemonade.
Though Diageo has released pre-mixed cocktails in the past, this is the first time it's collaborated with a household soft beverage brand.
“With a shared emphasis on fun, our partnership with Pepsi MAX brings together two iconic brands to create one epic taste that will inject excitement into the RTD category," Nuno Teles, Managing Director GB at Diageo, remarked in a news release. "Both brands bring their own distinctive flavour profile to the mix, creating the ultimate combination that’s been expertly blended to deliver a great taste experience.”
